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the
real
stars of Los Angeles.”



Dugout Notes
  Dodger Stadium
    Vern Samson . Vern Samson doesn’t exist. But Vin Scully does. He is the most famous Dodger who wasn’t a baseball player. For over sixty years, Scully was the play-by-play announcer for the Dodgers. He started broadcasting Brooklyn Dodger games in 1950. Scully continued for many, many years after the team moved to Los Angeles. He was famous for saying, “It’s time for Dodger baseball!” at the start of each game.
    Jackie Robinson . Jackie Robinson made history as the first African American to play in the major leagues. The Brooklyn Dodgers hired Robinson in 1947. Although Robinson had to endure harsh racial prejudice, he always played with dignity and control. He was the second baseman for the Dodgers for ten years and played in six World Series. He retired before the team moved to California.

    Ebbets Field, Brooklyn . Ebbets Field in Brooklyn was the home of the Dodgers from 1913 until 1957. After that, they moved to California. Ebbets Field was small and cramped, which some people felt made the games even more exciting.
    Dodger Dogs . Most baseball fans like hot dogs. But Dodger fans love Dodger Dogs. At Dodger Stadium, Dodger Dogs can be cooked two ways, either steamed or grilled. Many people think that to be real Dodger Dogs, the hot dogs need to be grilled. Dodger fans started calling theirhot dogs Dodger Dogs around the time the team moved to California.

    Dodger Stadium . Dodger Stadium is the largest major-league ballpark. It sits on top of a hill in Elysian Park in central Los Angeles. The Dodgers have played there since 1962, when it opened. From 1958 to 1961 they played at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Dodger Stadium is so big that it even has its own zip code!

    The San Francisco Giants . The San Francisco Giants is the team that Dodgers fans love to hate. The Giants moved from New York City to California the same year that the Dodgers did. They’ve been fierce rivals ever since.

    The Hollywood sign . The Hollywood sign is high up on the side of the hills outside of Los Angeles. Fans can see the sign from the top deck of Dodger Stadium. The large white letters spell out HOLLYWOOD . Each letter is forty-five feet tall. That’s taller than most houses!
    Think Blue . The Dodgers have a smaller (but still large) sign on top of a hill just outside of Dodger Stadium. It reads THINK BLUE in large blue letters. Blue is the Dodgers team color.
    First high five . Some people believe that two Dodger players gave each other the first high five in 1977. Other people say it was invented by a basketball player in the 1960s. Either way, it’s still one of the best ways to celebrate a sports victory!

E ach book in this brand-new mystery series
is set in a different American ballpark.
Fun facts about each ballpark appear at
the end of the book, giving young fans
the sports trivia they crave.