Dolph Camilli began his Major League career with the Chicago Cubs, but it was with his second team, the Philadelphia Phillies, that he proved he was an everyday player.  The Dodgers took notice and traded for him, feeling that he had another level within him.  They were right, as across six seasons in Brooklyn, he served as the premier run-producer for Leo Durocher’s squad.

In his 1938 debut, Camilli reached a plateau of efficiency by leading the National League in walks (119) while belting 24 home runs. He quickly established himself as a professional mainstay, earning his first All-Star selection in 1939 and finishing 12th in the MVP voting in back-to-back years.

Camilli truly shined during the unforgettable 1941 season. He put together an impressive display of offensive skill, leading the National League with 34 home runs and 120 RBIs, and inspiring the Dodgers to their first pennant in more than twenty years. His achievements reached new heights when he was named the National League MVP, showing he was the spark that brought a lively championship spirit back to Ebbets Field. Even in the 1941 World Series against the Yankees, he stood tall as a key player in the middle of the lineup, embodying both the heart and soul of the team.  The end of his stay in Brooklyn would not be as pretty.

Believing he was beginning to age out of his prime, the organization finalized a trade that sent him to the rival New York Giants. In a legendary display of loyalty, or perhaps spite, Camilli reached a plateau of defiance and refused to report, choosing instead to go home and manage a team in the Pacific Coast League.

With the Dodgers, Camilli batted .270 with 139 Home Runs and 809 Hits.

We are losing too many legends already in this short year.

Rock and Roll superstar, Jeff Beck passed away today at the age of 78.  He first gained international attention as a member of the Yardbirds, and his blues-infused style made him one of the most admired guitarists of his era.  The Yardbirds also featured Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton (before Beck joined), and generated the hits, “Heart Full of Soul”, “For Your Love”, and “Shapes of Things”, but like Clapton, Beck left the band in 1966 and formed his own group.

As a solo, or leading the Jeff Beck Group, Beck remained amongst the apex of rock guitarists.  There were no styles he couldn’t blend, and his pioneering work of feedback and distortion are legendary.  Beck did not have the hits, or even the album sales, but the respect was there, and it is no accident that he won eight Grammys and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice; one with the Yardbirds and one as a solo.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the fans, friends and family of Jeff Beck. 

Following his military service, Carl Furillo debuted in Brooklyn in 1946. He was a right-handed outfielder known for his quiet professionalism unlike the more famous "Boys of Summer." Nicknamed "The Reading Rifle" for his feared arm, he was the master of the high right-field wall at Ebbets Field.

While Furillo initially commenced his career in center field, he achieved a pinnacle of versatility upon transitioning to right field, where he acquired the skill to interpret nearly 300 different trajectories of baseballs rebounding from the complex surface of the Ebbets Field walls. He owned the position, recording at least 10 assists in nine successive seasons and twice leading the league in this category. By 1949, he reached a new level of offensive excellence, batting .322 with 106 RBIs and finishing sixth in the MVP voting, thereby substantiating his capabilities beyond defensive prowess.

In 1953, Furillo secured the National League Batting Title with a .344 batting average, representing the highest mark achieved by a right-handed Dodger in the modern era at that time. Although he suffered a broken hand in a brawl against the Giants, which effectively ended his regular season in September, he notably returned for the Fall Classic, thereby reinforcing his reputation as a significant contributor in high-stakes games. Furthermore, he was a consistent presence for the 1955 World Series champions, hitting a career-high 26 home runs and playing a pivotal role in Brooklyn's first world championship.

After moving to Los Angeles with the team and contributing to the 1959 World Series victory, Furillo tore a calf muscle early the next year. He was released by the organization in May, sparking a lengthy legal battle in which Furillo claimed the team released him to dodge paying his 15-year pension. Although he won a court settlement, the dispute essentially blacklisted him from professional baseball.

He exited baseball with 1,910 Hits, 192 Home Runs, and a Batting Average of .299.

A switch-hitting shortstop who spent nearly a decade in the minor leagues before being granted an opportunity, Maury Wills finally made it to the Majors in 1959, and once he secured his place in the lineup, he operated as the most disruptive force on the basepaths since the Deadball Era.

In 1960, during his first full season as a regular player, Wills led the National League with 50 stolen bases, the highest total in the senior circuit in nearly forty years. He demonstrated complete mastery of the lead-off role in the early 1960s, securing six consecutive stolen base titles and establishing that his athleticism was a fundamental asset for a team primarily focused on pitching and defense. His career reached its zenith in 1962, when he became the first player in the modern era to surpass the century mark with 104 stolen bases, thereby earning the National League Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award and the inaugural All-Star Game MVP.

Wills was the catalyst for the Dodgers' 1963 and 1965 world titles. During the 1965 campaign, he recorded 94 stolen bases and scored 92 runs, serving as the spark that allowed the "Koufax and Drysdale" era to thrive with minimal run support. While he faced criticism for a below-ideal walk rate and a difficult relationship with some media members, his on-field efficiency remained reliable; he earned two Gold Gloves and was a seven-time All-Star.

During a Japan team exhibition tour, Wills, nursing a knee injury and frustrated, jumped the tour without permission to go home. The organization saw this as a major breach of loyalty, leading owner Walter O'Malley to trade Wills to the Pirates in December 1966 for Bob Bailey and Gene Michael. Despite a brief stint in Pittsburgh and Montreal, he was traded back to the Dodgers in 1969 to lend veteran leadership for his last four seasons.

Wills had 1,732 Hits and 490 Stolen Bases in Dodger Blue, and in 2019, Wills was one of four players awarded plaques in the stadium as Legends of Dodgers Baseball.