LOS ANGELES (AP) — Davey Lopes, a celebrated figure in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ iconic infield of the 1970s and 1980s and one of the game’s leading base stealers, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 80.
The Dodgers were notified of his passing in Rhode Island by his former wife, Lin Lopes.
During his decade with the Dodgers, Lopes was named a four-time All-Star. He participated in four World Series, securing the championship in 1981. Lopes holds the Dodgers’ franchise record for the most games played at second base, totaling 1,134. Additionally, his 1,145 appearances as a leadoff batter rank second in the team’s history, only behind Maury Wills’ 1,279 games.
Lopes made his MLB debut on September 22, 1972, at the age of 27.
In the following season, Lopes, alongside Steve Garvey, Bill Russell, and Ron Cey, began an 8.5-year stretch as the Dodgers’ starting infield.
Renowned for his base-stealing prowess, Lopes swiped 418 bases during his time with the Dodgers, making him second only to Maury Wills in franchise history. He boasts a franchise record with an 83.1% success rate in stolen bases (minimum 100 attempts).
On August 4, 1974, Lopes became the first Dodger since Wills to steal four bases in one game. Just 20 days later, he matched the National League record by stealing five bases in a game against the Cardinals. In 1975, Lopes set a then-MLB record with 28 consecutive successful stolen bases.
That year, he led the majors with 77 steals, and in 1976, he topped the National League with 63 steals. In 1978, he successfully stole 45 bases out of 49 attempts.
The 1978 World Series was a highlight of his career, where he hit two home runs in Game 1 against the New York Yankees and earned a Gold Glove that season.
After departing the Dodgers, Lopes played for the Oakland Athletics (1982-84), Chicago Cubs (1984-86), and Houston Astros (1986-87). He concluded his career with 557 stolen bases, ranking 26th in MLB history. His career batting average was .263, with 155 home runs, 614 RBIs, 232 doubles, and 50 triples over 1,812 regular-season games.
After retiring as a player, Lopes managed the Milwaukee Brewers from 2000 to 2002. His coaching career included stints with the Orioles, Padres, Nationals, Phillies, and Dodgers.
He won another World Series title as the Phillies’ first-base coach before returning to the Dodgers as their baserunning and first-base coach from 2011 to 2015. Lopes spent his final two seasons in the majors as the Nationals’ first base coach in 2016 and 2017.
Lopes is survived by his brothers, Patrick and John, and sisters, Jean, Judith, Mary, and Nina.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
via Associated Press
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