OCR Text |
Show California Dream in' ' LA. Dodgers Steve Garvey and Don Sutton , .... . . jfnP mttfmf Steve Girvey It cherlthed by Dodger manager Tom Latorda. in the thick of things for the rest of the season." Garvey, who takes time out each day to talk and autograph various items for his fans, is truly an endearing personality, willing to shoot the breeze whether it's for the record or not. Steve admits to being slightly spoiled by southern California's easy living but when he puts on Dodger threads Garvey displays his immense intensity intensi-ty for the game. As for his future aspirations, Garvey is thinking of by Steve K. Walz Flashback The year is 1958 and major league baseball has begun to pioneer the frontiers of the Western United States with franchises in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Will the grandiose schemes of the two former New York City franchise holders (Brooklyn Dodgers and N. Y. Giants) bear fruit in virgin baseball territories ? Twenty years henceforth, the Giants have been a rollercoaster franchise but the Dodgers. ..well, millions of paying customers later, owner Walter O'fvlalley is laughing all the way to the bank. O'Malley and Co. have made the Dodgers one of the most potent franchises in all of pro sports. In 1958, the Dodgers won 71 games and lost 83 but since that first year the team has only been below the .500 mark three times. Last year they drew well over 2-million fans to spacious Dodger Stadium giving them a National League pennant before succumbing to the Yankees in the World Series. Tom Lasorda, who's been bleeding bleed-ing Dodger blue for the last 28 years, is the father-manager image to his 24 ballplayers and like a father he spanks his troops verbally when they re not up to par. Ah, but when they are going well there isn't a prouder father and manager in the major leagues. Two of the Dodgers' prize pupils, handsome Steve Garvey Gar-vey and veteran righthander Don Sutton, who can trace his roots back to the Koufax-Drysdale era, are directly responsible for L.A.'s contemporary con-temporary success. A Touch of Class At 5'10" and 190 pounds of solid muscle, Garvey has become the Dodgers most consistent ballplayer year in and year out. His offensive feats have earned him all-star nominations, plenty of ink and perhaps some jealousy, simply because his good looks have made Steve that much more popular with Madison Ave. executives. Says the lifetime .300 hitter, "I think some of this stuff was overblown by the press. Yet let's face it, there are always some personality differences between ballplayers because of their different upbringing. I'm not as material oriented as some people think I am. I'm more family oriented and I'm just thankful that I'm playing major league baseball." As for his early season miseries with the bat and the Dodgers problems, Garvey candidly offered, "Well it certainly makes good copy. Every team has a slump or two and I think we'll be dabbling in politics because, "I like to be involved in public service functions and I think with my image I can accomplish many things." Already a school has been named after the Dodgers hero. Somehow Garvey parallels the image of Robert Redford in the movie 'The Candidate.' Can-didate.' With the right connections and his positive attitude, Mr. Garvey will be heard from for years after he hangs up his spikes. Dodger Stopper At the other end of the spectrum Don Sutton says, "When I get out of baseball there s no way I'm going to get into coaching or something like that. I'll sit back and say that it was fun and then I just want to divorce myself from the game." Sutton, who sports a tinge of gray in his curlyish hair, has just about seen it all in his career with the Dodgers, not to mention his own individual accomplishments, accom-plishments, which include 200 and counting career victories, a lifetime 3.04 E.R.A., 3000 innings pitched and over 2300 batters struck out, certainly the stuff Hall of Famers are made out of. "Since I started pitching in the 1960's the game has become more specialized. The bullpen has become a key factor as are late inning defensive replacements. re-placements. Years ago clubs were more interested in the power hitting types but now clubs are looking for more well-rounded players with the team itself focusing on one big inning to win a game," said Sutton, who like Garvey is an interesting personality. Adds Sutton, "I don't think my style will change. As I get older (he's 33) I've learned to change speeds a little better and I'm learning to hold the runners a little closer. I think I can pitch for a few more years but as soon as baseball stops being fun I'll get out." Sutton should tell that to some of his teammates. Take Vic Davalillo and Manny Mota, for instance. Davalillo, who has been an offensive terror in both the American and National Leagues, was playing in Mexico last year when the Dodgers got word that he could still hit, so Vic was given a reprieve in the majors at 39 years old. And Manny Mota at age 40 continues to come off the Dodger bench to get key pinch-hits year in and year out. For them baseball is still fun. And with a supporting cast of people like Tommy John, Doug Rau, Ron Cey, Steve Yeager and a host of others, the Dodgers read like a best selling novel with a happy ending looming on the horizon. Veteran Dodger hurler Don Sutton. |