I was able to get a tour of Dodger Stadium.Beautiful stadium, with the San Gabriel Mountains in the background.This is the Dodger Stadium Retired Numbers Plaza. Gil Hodges was #14. He was recently elected to the Hall of Fame. In addition to playing first base for the Dodgers, he was the manager of the Mets when they won the World Series in 1969.Duke Snider was one of the “Big 3” during the 1950s in New York baseball. Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays and Duke Snider were by far the most popular players of that decade.Sandy Koufax was one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history. A star of the 1960s.Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947, playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers. His #42 has been retired by all of major league baseball, so no team has a player wearing #42.This is me sitting in the press box.Another angle of the stadium.Display of team trunks.When the Dodger players exit the elevator on their way to the locker room, this is what they see. First, all the Dodger Gold Glove Awards, awarded to the best fielders by position.One of the Gold Gloves won by Gil Hodges, 1957.One of the Gold Gloves won by Greg Maddux, 2008.Then past the Cy Young Awards for the best pitcher in the league.One of the Cy Young Awards won by Sandy Koufax, 1963.One of the Cy Young Awards won by Clayton Kershaw, 2014, a current star for the Dodgers.Then past the Silver Slugger Awards for the best hitting player for each position.A couple Silver Slugger Awards for Mike Piazza, 1995 and 1996.And then the Dodgers’ World Series Championship Trophies. This one is from 1988.In their first year, the Brooklyn team was known as “The Bridegrooms” because many of the players were young and had been recently married.This is me in the Dodgers dugout.The dugoutThe view of the field from the dugout.Downtown Los Angeles skyline from Dodger Stadium.
Crypto.com Arena, home of the Los Angeles Lakers and the hockey LA Kings. This was formerly Staples Center.With such a rich and successful history, it is natural for the Lakers to honor their all-time greats with statues. The statue of Kobe Bryant is still being built. This is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.Magic JohnsonShaquille O’NealJerry WestElgin BaylorLuc RobitailleWayne Gretzky.Kings celebrate winning the Stanley Cup.Oscar de la Hoya
A lifelong dream, fulfilled! I am at a UCLA game at Pauley Pavilion! Thank you Mallory!!John Wooden statue.Basketball pyramidNational championship bannersUCLA wins!
UCLA Athletic Hall of FameJackie Robinson starred in 4 sports at UCLA before he became the first black baseball player to play in the major leagues.Jackie Robinson’s uniform number 42 has been retired by all major league baseball teams.UCLA has won 120 national championships (all sports), which is second to Stanford University’s 131. UCLA has won 11 national championships in men’s basketball (Kentucky is second with 8).John Wooden, who coached UCLA to 10 national championships in 12 years (1964-1975). He is widely considered the greatest coach of all time.Coach Wooden’s den.Lew Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) won 3 championships at UCLA, as well as three-time college basketball national player of the year. UCLA lost 2 games in three years with Alcindor.He went on to win 6 NBA titles and 6 MVP awards, finishing as the NBA’s all time leading scorer.Bill Walton followed up Alcindor with two national championships and three national player of the year awards. I remember watching him on TV when he led UCLA to the national championship over Memphis State in 1973. Walton scored 44 points, making 21 of 22 shots.UCLA has had one Heisman Trophy winner, Gary Beber in 1967, beating OJ Simpson for the award.Troy Aikman is one of 4 UCLA stars to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.The National College Basketball Player of the Year is now named for John Wooden. UCLA start Ed O’Bannon is the only UCLA player to win the John Wooden Award. He won in 1995 leading UCLA to their 11th and most recent national championship.1971 National Championship trophy1964.197519951954 Football National Championship trophyThe Hall of Champions displays all of UCLA’s national championship trophies. Very impressive sight!
So we finally made it to UCLA to see our beautiful granddaughter!In front of The BruinThe four buildings of the original UCLA campus. This is Kaplan Hall.Haines HallPowell LibraryRoyce Hall, the performing arts theater.At the entrance of Royce Hall.Water fountain at Dickinson Court.Looking east from Dickinson Court.Interesting tree.Sculptures from the Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden. This is “Elegy III”, by Barbara Hepworth, 1966.“Pensive”, Deborah Butterfield, 1996.“The Song of the Vowels”, Jacques Lipchitz, 1931-1932.“Hybrid Fruit Called Pagoda”, Jean Arp, 1934.“Cubi XX”, David Smith, 1964.“Why?”, Richard Hunt, 1974.Intramural fields.The Bruin.
