Gil Hodges was one of the most popular players in Dodgers history, an incredible feat considering the talent and characters that graced the team.

After appearing in one Game in 1943, Hodges entered the American Military, losing two years to due service.  He returned in 1947, the same year as Jackie Robinson, and they were part of a young team on the rise.  Originally a Catcher, Hodges was moved to First Base and was one of the team's power hitters throughout the 1950s.

Hodges began a seven-year streak of All-Star Games in 1949, and from 1949 to 1959, he was a perennial 20 Home Run player, with a pair of two 40 Home Run years (1951 & 1954).  He drove in at least 100 Runs in that seven-year streak of All-Stars, and while he never finished higher than seventh in MVP voting, he had nine years where he received voted for the highest individual award in the National League.

The Brooklyn fans loved Hodges, and he loved them back.  The Dodgers had been good for a while but had been unable to win the World Series, but it changed in 1955.  While Hodges was beginning to decline and had a poor first three Games in the World Series, his bat came alive, and he fittingly had the series-winning RBI and ended the game defensively with an out.  This was the only World Series win for the Dodgers in Brooklyn, and many fans were happiest for Hodges.

Hodges still hit Home Runs for the club and was a veteran presence helping the Dodgers reach the 1956 and 1959 World Series, winning the latter, with that coming in Los Angeles.  Hodges returned to New York when they took him in the 1962 Expansion Draft, and he left the Dodgers with 361 Home Runs, 1,254 RBI, 1,884 Hits, and an OPS of .847.

After receiving the most votes of any former player not to be elected, Hodges was chosen by the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022 by the Veteran’s Committee.   The Dodgers responded by retiring his number 14.

It was a long time coming, especially considering he had over 50 percent of the ballot for 11 of his 15 years.

In 1966, a 21-year-old rookie named Don Sutton joined a rotation that already featured the legendary duo of Koufax and Drysdale. While he lacked the overwhelming velocity of his peers, he possessed a cerebral approach and a durable arm that would anchor the staff for a decade and a half.

Debuting just two years after signing, he secured a spot in the rotation and proved he belonged by navigating his rookie season with double-digit wins and a stellar strikeout rate. He remained a professional mainstay throughout the late sixties, beginning a remarkable streak in which he recorded at least 15 victories over eight consecutive seasons from 1969 to 1976. This steady accumulation of quality starts made him the rotation's most dependable weapon, ensuring the Dodgers remained competitive during the post-Koufax transition.

During the mid-1970s, Sutton established himself as one of the premier right-handers in the National League. Between 1972 and 1976, he was a perennial fixture in the Cy Young race, consistently finishing in the top five of the voting. He showcased a mastery of the strike zone during this peak, twice leading the league in WHIP and once in strikeout-to-walk ratio. While he was often categorized as a "steady hand" rather than a flashy superstar, his ability to suppress baserunners and provide over 250 innings a year was the engine behind the Dodgers' multiple pennant runs.

His tenure featured a late-career masterpiece in 1980, a season that served as his final punctuation mark in Los Angeles. At age 35, he demonstrated he still possessed elite efficiency by capturing his first National League ERA title with a 2.21 mark. He remained a high-quality starter until his final day with the club, providing a veteran presence for a new generation of arms before departing for Houston as a free agent. The statistical footprint he left behind remains staggering; as of this writing, he still stands as the all-time franchise leader in wins (233), innings pitched (3,816.1), strikeouts (2,696), and shutouts (52).

Sutton was enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Dodgers followed their longstanding tradition by retiring his number 20 that same year.

Zack Wheat was one of the top players for Brooklyn in the dead ball era, playing all but his last season in the Majors for Brooklyn.

Playing in the Outfield, Wheat first appeared for Brooklyn in 1909, becoming their starting Leftfielder the year after. Collecting 2,804 of his 2,884 Hits with the Dodgers, Wheat batted .317 for the team and was also a solid defensive player. Wheat regularly batted over .300, winning the 1918 Batting Title, and was the Slugging Champion in 1916.  

Had Wheat played decades later in the Dodgers heyday, he would be more remembered in the baseball zeitgeist.

Wheat entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1959 through the Veteran’s Committee.

Pee Wee Reese arrived in Brooklyn in 1940 via a franchise-altering trade with the Red Sox, a transaction necessitated by a legendary logjam in Boston. Hall of Fame shortstop Joe Cronin was serving as the Red Sox player-manager at the time and, unwilling to yield his spot on the dirt to a rookie, suggested the young prospect be moved. While his moniker suggested a small stature, Reese quickly developed into a giant of the organization, providing a brand of steady, high-IQ baseball that anchored the most celebrated era in Brooklyn’s history.

The first part of his tenure was defined by a rapid ascent to defensive elite status, securing his first All-Star nod in 1942 while leading the National League in defensive bWAR. Like many of his contemporaries, he paused his playing days to serve in the military during World War II, but he returned in 1946 with a more refined approach at the plate and his range at shortstop fully intact. This return to the dirt was about more than just sport; he famously became a primary ally for Jackie Robinson, refusing to sign a petition against his teammate and publicly embracing him during a time of immense social tension. This display of humanity helped stabilize the clubhouse and set the stage for a decade of sustained excellence.

Reese began his peak during the 1949 campaign, a season in which he finished fifth in the MVP voting and led the league in runs scored (132). While he lacked the thunderous power of Duke Snider, he was a master of the "small ball" era, combining a high-frequency ability to draw walks with a specialized knack for situational hitting. He remained a perennial All-Star through 1954, batting consistently in the .260 to .270 range and proving to be a high-quality threat on the basepaths. His value was reflected in eight top-ten MVP finishes, a testament to his reputation as the glue holding the Dodgers' championship aspirations together.

His tenure featured a defensive mastery that remained the standard for shortstops of the 1940s and 50s. Between 1946 and 1956, he was a fixture in the middle of the infield, recording 232 stolen bases and proving to be one of the most durable players of his generation. The steady nature of his game allowed him to quietly amass a 68.2 bWAR with the franchise, a figure that currently stands as the highest for any position player in Dodgers history. He provided a reliable floor for a team that reached seven World Series during his stay, ensuring that the "Six" hole was a vacuum for opposing hitters.

His veteran guidance finally helped the franchise secure its elusive 1955 World Series title over the Yankees. While age began to limit his offensive volume in the subsequent years, he remained a professional mainstay through the team's move to Los Angeles in 1958. He left behind a statistical footprint that includes 2,170 hits and 1,210 walks. He remained a beloved icon long after his retirement, eventually being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1984, the same year the Dodgers retired his number 1.