On June 23, 1973, after the Dodgers lost 4-1 to the Cincinnati Reds. Walter Alston, the manager at the time, was looking for a way to shake his lineup. He decided to go to Steve Garvey the utility infielder“I was sitting at my locker,” Garvey said, “and Walter Alston came by and stopped me and asked me, ‘Have you ever played first?’ I hadn’t, really, but I wasn’t gonna tell him.”
Instead, Garvey responded with a simple lie, “Oh, sure.”
That night Garvey lined up with Ron Cey, Bill Russell, and Davey Lopes. “It’s one of those things in Dodger history that you don’t go back too many times over 50 years,” Cey said.
Fifty years later, Garvey, Lopes, Cey, and Russell were honored during Pride Night.
“It’s just like your family,” Russell said. “We didn’t take anything for granted back then. You had to be successful to be together that long.”
After that, Cey went to six All-Star games from the year 1974 to the year 1979. Russell made the Midsummer Classic in 1973, 1976, and 1980. Lopes was a rookie of the year finalist in the year 1973, a Gold Glove winner in the year 1978, and a four-time All-Star player from the year 1978 to the year 1981.
These four players won the Dodgers a World Series Title in 2004. They had not won one was 1988.
Garvey became a four-time Gold Glove winner, won an NL Most Valuable Player Award in 1974, and appeared in eight consecutive All-Star Games.
“When you look at the accomplishments, the longevity, the contribution to the Dodger organization and baseball, all four of us have taken great pride in it,” Garvey said.
Instead, Garvey responded with a simple lie, “Oh, sure.”
That night Garvey lined up with Ron Cey, Bill Russell, and Davey Lopes. “It’s one of those things in Dodger history that you don’t go back too many times over 50 years,” Cey said.
Fifty years later, Garvey, Lopes, Cey, and Russell were honored during Pride Night.
“It’s just like your family,” Russell said. “We didn’t take anything for granted back then. You had to be successful to be together that long.”
After that, Cey went to six All-Star games from the year 1974 to the year 1979. Russell made the Midsummer Classic in 1973, 1976, and 1980. Lopes was a rookie of the year finalist in the year 1973, a Gold Glove winner in the year 1978, and a four-time All-Star player from the year 1978 to the year 1981.
These four players won the Dodgers a World Series Title in 2004. They had not won one was 1988.
Garvey became a four-time Gold Glove winner, won an NL Most Valuable Player Award in 1974, and appeared in eight consecutive All-Star Games.
“When you look at the accomplishments, the longevity, the contribution to the Dodger organization and baseball, all four of us have taken great pride in it,” Garvey said.