While the Los Angeles Dodgers maintain strong ties to several of the franchise’s icons, they have taken more formal steps over recent seasons to immortalize and enshrine former players at Dodger Stadium.
In April 2017, the Dodgers unveiled a Jackie Robinson statue on the left-field reserve plaza. Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten indicated it was the first step in the team recognizing its legends.
One month later, Vin Scully was added to the Dodger Stadium Ring of Honor. Jamie Jarrín then received the honor last year, and prior to Opening Day of the 2019 season, microphones were added to the Retired Numbers Plaza on the top deck at Dodger Stadium.
With the Dodgers unveiling a slew of new renovations ahead of hosting the 2020 MLB All-Star Game, one new addition is expected to be a center field plaza, where the Robinson statue and Legends of Dodger Baseball plaques will be on permanent display.
The point of entry will also include a Sandy Koufax statue that will be dedicated during a special ceremony during the 2020 season.
The Dodgers have not yet announced details for the Koufax statue, though it can safely be presumed the left-hander will be depicted in a throwing motion.
Koufax began his career in Brooklyn and made the move with the team to Los Angeles. He finished a lifetime 165-87 with a 2.76 ERA over 12 seasons with the Dodgers, retiring at just 30 years old because of chronic arthritis.
Koufax won three Cy Young Awards, was a seven-time All-Star, five-time ERA leader, named the 1963 National League MVP, threw one perfect game and four no-hitters, was part of four Dodgers teams that won a World Series, and inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.
Koufax remained close to the Dodgers organization after retiring and for several years held a special advisor role to chairman Mark Walter. While Koufax formally withdrew from the position last year, he’s still be a fixture around the team.
A Koufax statue will move the Dodgers closer to president and CEO Stan Kasten’s vision of creating a version of Monument Park inside Yankee Stadium at Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers currently have replica World Series rings, bobbleheads and retired numbers stationed both inside and outside the stadium.
