Steve Garvey, Bill Russell and Ron Cey marked Friday’s 50th anniversary of the first game they started together with Davey Lopes by throwing the ceremonial first pitch before the Los Angeles Dodgers’ game against the Houston Astros.
Lopes was “unable to attend” Friday’s game, a team spokesman told City News Service.
The 5-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in the second game of a doubleheader at Dodger Stadium on June 23, 1973, began a major league-record 8 1/2 seasons in which they were the Dodgers‘ starting infield.
Bill Buckner had started at first base in the opener — and in 68 of the Dodgers’ first 71 games of 1973 — but Garvey would make his first start of the season at first base in the nightcap and fourth of his major league career.
Garvey started 72 of the Dodgers’ final 91 games at first base in 1973, according to Baseball-Reference.com, and remained as their starting first baseman through the 1982 season.
Lee Lacy was the Dodgers’ starting second baseman for the first 16 games in 1973, but Lopes, then a rookie, started 133 of the final 146 and remained as the starting second baseman through the 1981 season.
Russell started all 162 games at shortstop, remained as the starter through 1983 and continued his playing career through 1986.
Cey, also a rookie in 1973, became the Dodgers’ starting third baseman six games into the season when Ken McMullen was sidelined by a back injury and started 142 of the final 157 games. He remained as the starter though the 1982 season.
Their final game together was Game 6 of the 1981 World Series, a 9-2 victory by the Dodgers over the New York Yankees for their first World Series championship since 1965.
With Garvey, Lopes, Russell and Cey as their starting infield, the Dodgers won four National League pennants.
