That year, he went 16-11 and had a 3.31 ERA with a 2nd-place Dodger team.

In early August the Dodgers were a juggernaut, on the way to being the greatest Dodger team of the century.

Sandy Koufax, the ace of aces of Dodger teams past, agreed.

They lost to the Yankees in the World Series last fall, like so many Dodger teams of the 40's and 50's.

In 1955, by which time the core of the Dodger team was beginning to age, "next year" finally came.

It makes for a more unorthodox, engaging Dodger team, but the Padre fans still loathe them anyway.

As they would have been on any Dodger team in any Dodger era.

"They weren't easy," he was saying, alluding to those Dodger teams.

The shortstop on four pennant-winning Dodger teams, Wills led the league in stolen bases for six consecutive years starting in 1960.

It was the most balanced Dodger team in years.