Time wasting exercise of the day: Who goes on the Blue Mt. Rushmore?
There have been 43 Presidents of the United States, and in 1927, when they started chipping away at Mt. Rushmore, there had only been 30. Still, picking four faces for that bad boy was a tough proposition, despite the fact that Washington and Lincoln were slam dunks.
So if you make one of those for the Dodgers (perhaps carved into one of the hills around the stadium, or maybe next to the Hollywood sign), which four faces do you choose? We're talking one hand, minus the thumb. That's all you get from a franchise that's been in business, under one name or another, since 1884. I'm not counting all the players you have to choose from, but it's a lot. Hell, there are 49 players alone whose last names start with W. And what about managers? Certainly Walter Alston or Tommy Lasorda could be candidates.
Just off the top of my head, here's how I see it. Jackie Robinson is a given. A) he was really good, and b) Robinson is simply too freakin' iconic both as a Dodger and in baseball history to leave off. After that, I think you need a Koufax. He is the Dodger pitcher in team history (unless you think it's Danys Baez...). The other two? Yikes. If you go old school, there are the Babe Herman, Dazzy Vance, and Zach Wheat types. What about Reese, Newcombe, Snider, Wills, Drysdale, or Campanella? Piazza, if you want someone from the more recent past. Or Fernando. Or Cey, Garvey, and Sutton.
It's a tough one. Your thoughts?
Four faces from a franchise that has been in business, under one name or another, since 1884.
BK
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Just Four? Not hard.
Jackie, Koufax, the Duke, and Fernando. I put Valenzuela in there for what he did for the blue's Mexican audience. that leaves out Campanella, Pee Wee Reese, Junior Gilliam, Don Sutton, and Don Newcombe, but I figured it couldn't be all Lords of Flatbush.
You could do a separate rushmore for non-players, beginning with Branch Rickey, who's really the biggest face of all, and including Alston, Lasorda, and Walter O'Malley.
Posted by: SaMo | May 29, 2008 at 11:46 AM
Koufax, Lasorda, Gibson, Hershieser.
I will defend.
Posted by: BenzoJones | May 29, 2008 at 11:49 AM
Samo - Fernando is a great choice, and for a good reason... can we do a half "Hershnando"
Posted by: BenzoJones | May 29, 2008 at 11:53 AM
Vin Scully, above all others. He transcends both franchises. After that, Robinson, Koufax and O'Malley (the pioneering the west coast can't be minimized).
Posted by: Chunkdog | May 29, 2008 at 12:13 PM
so perhaps it should be a monument of the failed signings, kind of a "Dodgers Most Wanted" for robbing us blind.
Kevin Brown, Darren Dreifert, Jason Schmidt, and Andruw Jones.
Posted by: brian poynter | May 29, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Scullyorda?
I love Vin, but he had no impact on an actual "game"... impact on fans yes, but i think any monument should be for someone who did something...
Does REPKO get his own mountain?
Posted by: benzojones | May 29, 2008 at 12:38 PM
AK/BK,
How about a live blog this weekend...We sure could use the help
Posted by: K T (feeling retired) | May 29, 2008 at 12:47 PM
Jackie Robinson, Tommy LaSorda, Vin Scully, Walter O'Malley.
Build a second mountain and I'd go with Koufax, Campanella, Hershiser, and Walter Alston
Posted by: dalegribel | May 29, 2008 at 01:04 PM
Robinson, Koufax, Snider, Alston
Package
Posted by: Package | May 29, 2008 at 01:13 PM
KT USN
You are correct. The live blog will stop the skid!!
Package
Posted by: Package | May 29, 2008 at 01:15 PM
Kambros
How clever of you to distract us from the misery of Dodger baseball(?), lol.
I'm all for sticking with the youth movement, as painful as it is. I just want them to do it right if that's the goal. I know the FO wants to look like we are trying to win but is building a foundation for the future and wining now possible?
I'm just asking.
I hope Torre and the staff are putting out a clear picture for that foundation if that is the case. If players are trying to hit HRs with the bases are loaded when just making contact is what's needed then they have to hold these kids accountable.
Focus is what's needed now. Not trying to get a player "going" who is obviously not going to help the team.
Posted by: Andy B | May 29, 2008 at 01:25 PM
Scully, Lasorda, Koufax, Jackie Robinson.
REPKO will have his own mountain, which he will build himself by crushing asteroids and small planets with his bare hands.
Posted by: Eric B. | May 29, 2008 at 01:35 PM
Eric B - BRAVO! best Repko line of the month. Rakim is proud.
Posted by: benzojones | May 29, 2008 at 02:07 PM
Thank you, benzo. That's what comes from knowing the ledge.
Posted by: Eric B. | May 29, 2008 at 02:20 PM
Billingsley, Martin, Kemp, Loney...kidding. That will be the Blue Mt. Rushmore 5.0 version
I will go Jackie Robinson, Sandy Koufax, Vin Scully, and Tommy Lasorda.
The Icon, The Pitcher, The Voice, and The Tommy.
GO BLUE!
Posted by: gus2327 | May 29, 2008 at 02:29 PM
Brian,
I love it. 4 total disasters!
Posted by: Chunkdog | May 29, 2008 at 03:38 PM
KT/Package,
Unfortunately, the live blog only truly exists when you're there "live" and in person. BK and I don't travel with the team.
AK
Posted by: Andrew Kamenetzky | May 29, 2008 at 04:26 PM
O'Malley is just the business-face of Branch Rickey's brilliance. Farm system? Integrated League? Mining the carribean for talent? All Branch Rickey. Granted, he joined the dodgers because O'Malley would fund these visions where St. Louis wouldn't (Rickey was GM in StL before moving to Brooklyn), but if it wasn't for Robert Moses blocking O'Malley's greed in Brooklyn, he would have never taken his profit-maker west. O'Malley was a brilliant businessman, no doubt, but I'd like to think that the Dodger Rushmore is about the fans and the field, not the bottom line.
(Also, being the history teacher and baseball lover that I am, I can never forgive O'Malley for ultimately forcing the visionary Rickey out. But in my opinion, Rickey belongs to baseball, not just the Dodgers)
Hence (can't criticize w/o my own calls, of course):
Scully, Robinson, Alston, Lasorda
(Parting shot: Gibby's dinger in game one of '88 is arguably my most fond childhood memory, but how in the world do you put a guy who only played one season in LA, and who in all ways considers himself a Detroit Tiger, on the Dodger Rushmore?)
Posted by: VA Blueblood | May 29, 2008 at 04:41 PM
I'd like to nominate Thomar Arthur, the man who invented the Dodger Dog in 1962.
Posted by: DodgerBlueBalls | May 29, 2008 at 06:01 PM
AK/BK
Perhaps the K bros. need to travel. I am sure the Dodgers wouldn't mind if you told them of the 4-0 record. By the way guys, are you planning for the blog every home game like you do for the lakers?
Package
Posted by: Package | May 29, 2008 at 06:37 PM
I'm in with gus2327
Robinson, Koufax, Scully, and Lasorda.
It's a shame we are limited to four. So many worthy candidates.
Snider, Reese, Campy, Podres, Drysdale, Davis, Wills, Rickey, and so many others.
Though the Dodgers are disappointing as of late let's keep some faith and hope that everything pulls together in the end. Look at the Lake Show. Strong finish and they are the favorites for the championship. Lakers / Dodgers champs in 08!!
Posted by: el jeffe | May 29, 2008 at 07:14 PM
AK -
You should.
Posted by: benzojones | May 29, 2008 at 07:47 PM
VA - Gibby's dinger is the most iconic Dodger memory of the last 20+ years, regardless of Tigerness, you have got to put him on the mountain just to remind all of these young-uns what is is like to play with heart and play hurt.
Do you think there is a Dodger on this team now that has the same drive that Gibby had?
Posted by: benzojones | May 29, 2008 at 07:49 PM
I second Eric B's proposal - Scully, Lasorda, Koufax, Jackie Robinson.
Although I might be persuaded to swap Duke for Lasorda.
Posted by: TJ2 | May 29, 2008 at 07:59 PM
Regarding Benzo's comment about Gibson, I think that Russell Martin might qualify as a player with Gibby's drive. He certainly seems headed in the same direction.
After Koufax, Robinson and Scully it gets really difficult for me. Reese? Snider? Wills? I've never been a big fan of Lasorda, but I can understand why others would have him on their list. Walter Alston gets some consideration for managing the Dodgers to their first championship ever. I'm from NY, but I don't see O'Malley as being the villian in their move west. Robert Moses gets my vote on that score. So put me on the fence for #4.
Tony Jackson referred to Shea Stadium as a toilet on his blog today. I was there tonight, and it is. But what can you expect from a stadium owned by a municipality? Citi Field, scheduled to open next year, should be better, given that it will not only be new, but is being privately funded.
Posted by: Brooklyn Dodger | May 29, 2008 at 09:49 PM