Legends of Dodger Baseball Dusty Baker - Narrated by Anthony Anderson

this is where I always wanted to play Because as a kid I was a Dodger fan and always had my radio listening to Vince Scully and really sort of imagining myself one day playing in Dodge State today we celebrate the storyed career and enduring Dodger Legacy of Johnny B Baker universally known in the baseball world as Dusty as a youngster growing up in Riverside the thought of playing at Dodger Stadium was an early dream as he followed the local team during the early 1960s his favorite player was Tommy Davis the two-time National League batting champion whose primary position was left field little did Baker realize that one day he would not only play the same position as Davis at Dodger Stadium but he would also inherit his Hero's uniform number 12 after beginning his major league career with the Atlanta Braves a trade to Los Angeles after the 1975 season brought Dusty home to Dodger Stadium the left field Pavilion at Dodger Stadium became Baker's field it didn't take long for Baker to become a fan favorite in Southern California when he trotted to the Outfield before games the patrons tossed packs of chewing gum and Baker signaled a wave of appreciation he fit in like he'd been here all along thus he's a typee of player that played hard knew how to play the game was going to play it right and he was going to do what he could do for the betterment of this ball Club he really was one of the first guys I saw that kind of owned that area where he played out in left field that was Baker's field and you could see it an injury field 1976 season burst his bubble but his fans kept their unwavering support so did his new manager Tommy lorta who announced at the start of spring training in 1977 that Baker was his left fielder despite only hitting four home runs in 1976 both the Dodgers and their fans celebrated a healthy Baker comeback that allowed the big blue Wrecking Crew to regain control of the National League West standings on the final day of the 1977 regular season Baker homered against intimidating Houston Astros Ace Jr Richard making the Dodgers the first team in major league history to have four players to each hit it at least 30 home runs in the same season Baker Reggie Smith Ron SE and Steve gar said look zy I know you're going to hit 30 because God would not make you hit 29 and then not hit the 30 God didn't want you to hit the 30th he would have made you stop on the last day at 27th that's how I felt but Baker reserved his biggest clout of 1977 the following week in the National League Championship Series after losing the opener of a best of Five series the Dodgers were desperate for a victory before the scene shifted to Philadelphia's veteran Stadium Baker's fourth inning Grand Slam sparked the Dodgers to a 7 to1 Victory hit well to left field bran slam home run Dusty Baker Los Angeles eventually won the pennant in four games and Baker became the first most valuable player of a National League champion championship series well when Dusty came into the locker room you knew it uh he was all business as far as playing baseball and wanting to win he just loved his job he loved what he did he loved playing the game and all that energy was something that we could all feel Baker in 1977 would make the first of three World Series appearances with the Dodgers during a 5-year period all against the New York Yankees during that era Baker remained a key member in both the starting lineup and in the clubhouse the allstar left fielder won both Gold Glove and Silver Slugger honors while providing veteran leadership my first time we traveled back in the day in' 77 when you traveled you traveled in suits or you weree tie and slacks and I come to the big leagues I didn't have any of that we went to Atlanta and thus it took me to a place in Atlanta bought my first suit bought my first pair of animal shoes alligators I remember him and a belt and from that point on he helped me to learn how to dress at the major league level but it was Dusty that took me on a shopping spree I will always remember that although Los Angeles suffered consecutive postseason heartbreaks in 1977 and 1978 against the Yankees the Dodgers quest for a championship finally succeeded in 1981 Baker and his teammates could finally pop the champagne after winning the 1981 World Series at Yankee Stadium Baker left the Dodgers after the 1983 season but he remained a familiar face in Southern California whether as an opposing player or during his 26-year managerial career being young in 21 22 when I was coming up you know he just was there to support to try to help you know nurture my career from the beginning and he did the same when I was done playing you know and and trying to you know nurture me in in my trans position from playing uh and encouraged me to get into coaching and and stay involved in baseball and a lot of where I've been in my career is because I was fortunate to play for Dusty nearly a half century after he first dawned the Los Angeles Dodgers uniform the former outfielder returns among the legends of Dodger baseball welcome home Dusty