Dodgers Fans Share Stories on How they Became a Dodger Fan

We’re living the quaratine life right now and a lot of conversations are going on Twitter right now! One question we wanted to ask was

Who was the first person that made you the Dodger fan you are today?

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We want to share your story with everyone: https://t.co/AJ3WdKuocC

— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) March 17, 2020

Whether it was someone who made us wear Dodger gear when we were little, helpless babies to a good friend who took you to your first Dodger game when you moved to LA, here are some great stories here of being fans of this great franchise together:

Watching the game with my dad on TV back when it was on FS1 and KCAL9 before spectrum. Also going to games watching Shawn Green, Jeff Weaver, Adrian Beltre,  Eric Gagne, Paul La Duca in the early 2000s. – James Garber

SHARE YOUR STORIES HERE:

My grandpa! My first memory of watching Dodgers baseball was with him, I was about 5/6 years old and sat right in front of his big chair. He taught me the game, the important of each player but mostly he gave me my love for Dodger baseball. It’s been 23 years and I still go over to my grandparents house I sit on the floor in front of his big chair and we watch the game together. – Lauren Lujan

I was a huge Dodgers fan as a kid. I remember being completely obsessed with Mike Piazza and being devastated when he was traded. I stopped watching baseball shortly after because I discovered boy bands and cute actors and that was much more interesting to a little girl.

Fast forward to my 30s. My best friend Courtney has been dating my friend AJ since high school. I know AJ is a big baseball fan and has grown up in a family that adores the sport. I don’t really understand the appeal unless I’m at a game. AJ has gotten Courtney and our friend Tiffany into baseball. We are all staying at my friend’s place and they’re watching a Dodgers game. To stay interested, I start making up nicknames for the players and running color commentary with my very little baseball knowledge coming back to me. Dodgers win the game. I think that’s it. Next day, they’re watching the next game in the series. I didn’t even realize that a series was something that happened outside of the World Series. I go to watch because I’m slightly invested as to who will win now. Mostly to watch Chase Utley more than anything. They win the series. We make a plan to go to a game so I can see this Chase Utley guy in person.

We go to a game a little while later. We’re sitting in the reserves and I am having the time of my life. With the fact that we are so high up, no one on the field can hear us so we can yell and scream as loud as possible. We’re surrounded with the most amazing fans who are just living their best life and joking with us. I realize how much I loved going to games. We go to a couple games and then I move to Austin with Tiffany and another friend. In Austin we can watch on the MLB app and I’ve now watched every single game. Chase is retiring but that’s okay because now I know every player on the team. I’m going to minor league games to fill the void of not living in Los Angeles. An Astros fan teaches me how to keep score and now I’m scoring every game at home and keeping up with my favorite group chat “Let’s Go Dodgers”. Even though we are living so far apart, our love for the Dodgers has bonded us. We all go to spring training together. We have the best time seeing our boys in blue and each other. They’ve made a fan for life. – Denise

In short, my Dad.  I grew up in Orem, Utah and people always ask how I became such a big fan of the Dodgers. That goes back to when my Dad was growing up.  For a short while when he was a young boy he and his family lived in the San Fransisco area.  While living there my Uncle, who was only one year older, became a fan of the Giants.  My Dad, being the competitive person he was, decided if his older brother was going to like the Giants then he was going to root for the Dodgers.  So that’s what he did and he then passed that on to me!
Some of the most epic games I’ve been to in my lifetime have been when Matt Kemp, he was my favorite player at the time,  hit a walk off homerun in the 10th inning of the game against the Nationals in 2012 ruining Bryce Harpers major league debut.  I was also at Corey Seager’s 3 homerun game against the Braves in 2016.  Last year I traveled to LA with my 2 brothers, one of which followed Mike Piazza to the Mets becoming a Mets fan, for the game against the Mets last year when Alex Verdugo walked it off in the 9th after trailing by 5 going into the bottom of the 7th.  The best part was, I warned by brother after Bellinger flew out in the 7th that if he got up again that game that the Dodgers were going to win! – Christopher Carlson

My early Dodger memory was going to the game with my Dad where Davey stole 5 or 6 bases, and was thrown out once as well.  To this day Davey is still my favorite Dodger…. – Sam Sutherland

As a young boy growing up in Philadelphia in the 1970s, I grew up idolizing Mike Schmidt.  One sunny Saturday afternoon, I finally got to attend my first game and was looking forward to meeting Mike.  Finally, there he was walking back to the dugout after pregame infield! I was ready with pen and ball in hand, along with by wide eyed toothless grin.  He walked right past me not even looking but simply said “not now kid.  No time”.  I was devastated.  My young heart was ripped from my chest.  Tears rolled down my face. I just wanted to go home and never come back (this was my first game ever!)

My parents somehow convinced me to stay and we waited for the visiting team to come out for BP.  I simply wanted to leave.  I knew nothing about this other team, the Los Angeles Dodgers.  I did not even know where”Los Angeles” was.  All I can remember, while standing down the first base line, is that this handsome man with a big smile and the largest  forearms I had even seen saw that I was distraught and came over.  He asked what was wrong and my father explained what just had happened.

Of course, that man was Steve Garvey.  He was so kind and gentle to me.  I really can’t recall exactly what he said but it literally, changed my life forever.  He was very nice.  He Signed several autographs, then asked some blond guy with a mustache, who walked funny to come over (obviously, Ron Cey!).  They made a big fuss over me and jokingly said next time they come to town that they wanted to see me wearing blue. This would NOT be any problem for me! Back then, with only 2 divisions (East n west), teams made 2 trips to Philadelphia.

To top off of this life changing interaction, Several weeks later, I received in the mail an autographed picture from Steve.  Hence, my life long love affair with the Los Angeles Dodgers was born.  Since then, I have cried many times for this team, as a young boy and even as grown man. The bond is that strong and it is forever. – Tom McManus

My parents and Grandparents were from Brooklyn and moved to L.A. in 1959. I was born and raised in L.A. and can’t rembeber a time in my life without the Dodgers. The tv could not be on if the Dodgers were on the radio. I was going to games with my father since 1964. Our family has five generations of Dodger fans. – Lori

Well like a lot of people, it was Vin Scully. As a boy in Phoenix(really Giants territory) I found the Dodger games on my AM/FM radio one summer and for years later I listen to Vin do his thing along with Jerry Dogett. My father taught me the ins and outs of football(LA Ram fan until they left LA) and basketball(Laker and Suns fan, go figure), but Vin taught me all about baseball. He was and is the best teacher and ambassador for baseball and for that I am eternally grateful. Baseball is the best of games, bar none. Thank you. – Quin McQuarrie

I attended Dodger games when they first moved to Los Angeles and played their games in the Coliseum. Wally Moon and his Moon Shots over the left field fense made me the Dodger fan I am today. – Bill Vandling