1977 Los Angeles Dodgers

1977 Los Angeles Dodgers / Franchise: Los Angeles Dodgers / BR Team Page

Record: 98-64, Finished 1st in NL Western Division (1977 NL)

Clinched Division: September 20, 1977, At San Francisco Giants

Won NL Pennant

Managed by Tommy Lasorda

Coaches: Red Adams, Monty Basgall, Mark Cresse, Jim Gilliam and Preston Gomez

Ballpark: Dodger Stadium

History, Comments, Contributions

The 1977 Los Angeles Dodgers started off strong and never looked back on their way to capturing a National League pennant. They began the season by winning 23 of their first 29 games, a feat no other NL team would match until the 2016 Chicago Cubs. Their greatest claim to fame was to be the first team in major league history to feature four players with 30 or more homers: 1B Steve Garvey led the team with 33, RF Reggie Smith hit 32, and 3B Ron Cey and LF Dusty Baker both hit 30.

They were also remarkably steady on the mound, as their five-man starting rotation accounted for 158 of the team's 162 starts, all five getting between 31 and 33 starts. In effect, none of their starters - Don Sutton (14-8), Burt Hooton (12-7), Tommy John (20-7), Rick Rhoden (16-10) and Doug Rau (14-8) - missed a turn all season. This success helped to popularize the Dodgers' approach and to render the four-man starting rotation obsolete within a couple of years. And if that rock-solid starting staff was not enough, the Dodgers also had an excellent bullpen, with Charlie Hough recording 22 saves and Mike Garman 12, while Elias Sosa posted an ERA of 1.98.

Awards and Honors

• All-Stars: Ron Cey, Steve Garvey, Reggie Smith and Don Sutton
• NL Gold Glove: Steve Garvey (1B)

Further Reading

• 2022 Los Angeles Dodgers Media Guide, pg. 370
• Michael Fallon: Dodgerland: Decadent Los Angeles and the 1977-78 Dodgers, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, NE, 2016. ISBN 978-0-8032-4940-0

<< 1976 1977 Postseason 1978 >>

NL Championship Series (3-1) Dodgers over Phillies

World Series (4-2) Yankees over Dodgers

AL Championship Series (3-2) Yankees over Royals