Best Dodgers team ever poll, Final Four: 1955 Brooklyn vs. 1981 L.A.
The Dodgers have had many great teams in their long history, but which was the best? On the heels of Times readers' picking the all-time best L.A. Dodgers at each position, we now ask you decide the best overall team, Brooklyn or Los Angeles, in Dodgers history.
The best 16 Dodgers teams of all time have been chosen and will match up in an NCAA-tournament-style bracket, with your votes deciding the winner. The six Dodgers World Series champions get the top six seeds, with 10 other Dodgers teams filling out the remainder of the field. Starting today, we move to the second round.
Today's Final Four matchup pits the top-seeded 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers against the fifth-seeded 1981 L.A. Dodgers. Take a look at both teams below, then vote
No. 1: 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers (98-55, won World Series): The legendary Boys of Summer were led by Roy Campanella (.318, 32 HRs, 107 RBIs), Gil Hodges (.289, 27, 102), Pee Wee Reese (.282, 10, 61), Duke Snider (.309, 42, 136), Jackie Robinson (.256, 8, 36) and Don Newcombe (20-5, 3.20 ERA) and were the only Brooklyn team to win a World Series.
No. 5: 1981 L.A. Dodgers (63-47, won World Series): The Garvey-Lopes-Russell-Cey infield finally won a World Series in this strike-shortened season. Many say it was undeserved, because the Dodgers didn't even have the best record in the NL West in 1981, but Manager Tommy Lasorda, knowing he already had a playoff spot locked up, cleverly rested many of his regulars in the second half, giving more playing time to guys like Mike Scioscia, Rick Monday and Steve Sax, which gave him a sharp bench in the playoffs.
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