Since its establishment in 1889 in Brooklyn, the Los Angeles baseball team has been known for the recognizability of its emblem. The modern brand logo is the most recognizable and popular. The new Los Angeles Dodgers logo embodies optimism, excellence, passion, and a will to win.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Brand overview
Founded: | 1883 |
Founder: | Guggenheim Baseball Management |
Headquarters: | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Website: | mlb.com |
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional-level baseball team from the USA. They compete in MLB and represent the National League’s West division. The team is based in Los Angeles, California, and its official founding date is 1889.
This franchise originated in Brooklyn, New York, and was formed in 1883 under the name Brooklyn Robins. It is also known as the Brooklyn Dodgers. In 1958, the team moved to Los Angeles.
The team’s founders were businessmen Charles Ebbets, Ferdinand Abell, Harry von der Horst, and Ned Hanlon. They owned the “Los Angeles Dodgers” until 1904. Then von der Horst left the group, and Henry Medicus took his place. In this composition, the owners managed the franchise for another 2.5 years. By 1907, only two remained—Charles Ebbets and Henry Medicus.
From 1912 to 1925, Charles Ebbets, Ed McKeever, and Stephen McKeever managed the club. Over the next 25 years, it was owned by several people (Branch Rickey, Walter O’Malley, Andrew Schmitz) and the Brooklyn Trust Company, which joined McKeever. 1950, the club was concentrated on one hand—Walter O’Malley’s. Then, it went to Peter O’Malley. Then, it was bought by Frank McCourt.
On March 27, 2012, it was announced that an agreement had been concluded between the owner of the “Los Angeles Dodgers” and Guggenheim Baseball Management LLC. The total value of the transaction reached 2 billion dollars. The sale was registered on May 1 of the same year. The franchise is managed by – Guggenheim’s CEO Mark Walter, former Los Angeles Lakers player Magic Johnson, former president of several baseball teams Stan Kasten, and movie mogul Peter Guber.
Meaning and History
The Los Angeles Dodgers club logo is among the world’s most popular and recognizable sports logos. Until 1938, the logo mainly featured the letter “B” from the team’s then-location, Brooklyn. In 1938, for the first time in logo history, the full name appeared, and over time, an improved version of the image appeared.
After moving to Los Angeles, the club changed the design of the logo. Previous versions were taken as a sample. Details were reworked, the palette shifted towards greater saturation, and the lines acquired an intense accent. The brand colors are based on deep blue and red. The former embodies optimism and perfection – a striving for victory and passion.
What is Los Angeles Dodgers?
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a sports club from Major League Baseball. It entered the National League in 1890, seven years after its debut. At that time, it was called the “Brooklyn Grooms.” The nickname “Dodgers” became official only in 1932, and before the 1958 season, the team moved to Los Angeles.
1899 – 1901
The club in New York was initially called the “Brooklyn Superbas.” Its first emblem was a large red Old English letter “B,” symbolizing the Brooklyn district.
1902 – 1908
Two years later, the color of the letter “B” changed from red to dark blue.
1909
In 1909, the Super Bass made the blue color on the logo a bit lighter and changed the font of the letter to Bruce Double Pica.
1910
The letter’s blue color darkened again to dark blue. The letter “B” itself was placed inside a white diamond with a dark blue outline.
1911
The team changed its name to “Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers,” but the logo remains unchanged.
1912 – 1913
The previously intersecting lines of the diamond are now connected; the letter “B,” symbolizing Brooklyn, has become slightly larger. Also, the team changed its name again to “Brooklyn Dodgers.”
1914 – 1925
The club changes its name to “Brooklyn Robins”. The blue diamond is removed from the logo, and only the blue letter “B” remains, the same as in 1909.
1926 – 1927
The team returns to using the 1912 logo.
1928
The letter “B,” whose font is Bruce Double Pica, is placed inside a white circle with a red outline.
1929
A year later, the logo’s letter color changed to light purple, and a thin, bright red outline was added to the design.
1930
The font style is the same as last year, but the color of the letter changes to red, with a thin blue outline.
1931
Robins uses the classic blue letter “B” with a thin blue outline as a logo.
1932 – 1936
The club changes its name to the Brooklyn Dodgers. The font of “B” again resembles Bruce Double Pica, and the letter becomes dark blue again.
1937
This year was the last when the letter “B” was used. In 1937, it was made in classic print and green color.
1938 – 1944
The team’s full name, “Dodgers,” is written diagonally in blue. A thin blue line underscores the name.
1945 – 1957
The word “Dodgers” is slightly aligned, and the underline has become thinner. The logo added an image of a flying red-white baseball, with red strokes indicating its flight trajectory.
1958 – 1967
The team moved to Los Angeles and changed its name to the “Los Angeles Dodgers.” Minor changes are also noticeable on the logo. Again, the word “Dodgers” has a thicker underline, and the red-white ball is depicted on top. The trajectory of the ball’s flight also covers a larger area.
1968 – 1971
The team’s name is highlighted in an even thicker font. The red baseball remained in its place.
1972 – 1978
The word “Dodgers” has become darker blue, but the red ball is still in flight.
1979 – 2011
The revised logo lasted for 32 years. The name became more precise, and the contours of the ball and its trajectory became more refined.
2012 – today
The modified version of the Los Angeles Dodgers logo is hardly different from the previous ones. The word “Dodgers” remained dark blue, and some details connecting the letters were refined or completely removed from the logo. The current logo of the “LA Dodgers” has a semi-cursive handwritten font, where the letter “D” is separated from the other letters, and the letter “O” lacks a “tail.” The line between the letters “G” and “E” is made a little thinner. This made it easier to visually perceive the team’s name, placed against the background of a flying-up baseball and its trajectory. The lines of the trajectory and the baseball itself made it clearer.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Interesting Facts
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a famous baseball team with a long history that started over a hundred years ago in Brooklyn, New York. They moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1958.
- Starting in Brooklyn: The Dodgers began in Brooklyn in 1883 and had many names before becoming the Dodgers. They moved to Los Angeles in 1958.
- Jackie Robinson: Jackie Robinson was the first African American to play in the major leagues in the modern era, starting in 1947 with the Dodgers. To honor him, all baseball teams retired his number, 42.
- Vin Scully: Vin Scully was a famous person who talked about Dodgers games on the radio and TV for 67 years, the longest time someone has done this with one team.
- Winning the World Series: The Dodgers have won several times, with their first win in 1955 and the latest in 2020.
- Dodger Stadium: Opened in 1962, Dodger Stadium is one of the oldest baseball parks still in use. It’s in a beautiful spot in Los Angeles and has great views.
- Sandy Koufax: Sandy Koufax is among the best pitchers ever. He played all his career for the Dodgers. He threw four no-hitters, including one perfect game, and won three Cy Young Awards.
- Fernando Valenzuela: In 1981, Fernando Valenzuela, from Mexico, became very famous and loved by fans, especially Latino ones, for his great pitching.
- Big Rivalry: The Dodgers have a big rivalry with the San Francisco Giants, starting when both teams were in New York and continuing after they moved to California.
- Innovations: The Dodgers were the first to have Spanish-language broadcasts all the time and helped create the system where teams have minor league teams to develop players.
- Leaders in Diversity: In 2011, the Dodgers made Kim Ng the first woman to be an assistant general manager in MLB. They’ve also been important in making baseball more welcoming for everyone.
The Dodgers’ story includes important firsts, famous players, and big wins, making them an important part of baseball and American sports.
Font and Colors
The team’s twenty-one logos are divided into two periods: before and after the move. In the first half, the variant with the letter B prevailed, as the franchise was located in Brooklyn, which was reflected in its name. Then, it changed its name and location. Overall, the club went through a renaming procedure ten times.
Eventually, in 1938, the emblem featured the inscription “Dodgers,” running diagonally from bottom to top. The trail from the letter “s” extends far beyond its limits and almost reaches the capital “D.” A wide ribbon twists at the end and underscores the bottom of the emblem.
Over time, developers added a flying baseball to the logo. The thin red strokes along its trajectory indicate that it was thrown and is flying, cutting through the air. The direction of flight is from bottom to top. Throughout this version, it has never changed; only the color scheme was adjusted.
The debut logo used an Old English style of writing. Then came the Bruce Double Pica font used for the key symbol. In 1938, a new version was approved with a cursive font similar to handwritten text. The first letter is uppercase; the rest are lowercase. The word is written in calligraphic handwriting, semi-connected with the separately standing letter “D.” The other letters are connected and have smooth transitions.
The franchise’s proprietary palette consists of individual Dodgerblue colors. It combines red (the ball and the strokes surrounding it) and white (the background). Blue and green are also used at other times.
FAQ
What does “Dodger” mean in baseball?
This is the name of a baseball club originally nicknamed the “Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers” because of the dangerous tram lines crossing Brooklyn. Subsequently, the name was shortened to Brooklyn Dodgers, and after the team moved to Los Angeles, it was replaced with Los Angeles Dodgers.
What does the “Los Angeles Dodgers” logo represent?
The logo contains the blue word “Dodgers,” written in a handwritten font and positioned diagonally. A long line extends from the letter “s,” which underscores all the letters except the first “D.” The team’s name stands out against the background of short red lines depicting a baseball path. The ball itself is located slightly above. It is colored white and has red outlines.
Are any of the “Dodgers” originally from Los Angeles?
As of 2021, none of the current players of the “Los Angeles Dodgers” were born in Los Angeles. Despite this, they are successfully building their career in this region.
Who designed the “Dodgers” logo?
American sports illustration artist Henry Alonzo Keller created the first version of the logo with the flying ball. His drawing was modified many times. Under Ross Yoshida’s leadership, The graphic design department worked on the last version.