The Los Angeles Dodgers established the “Legends of Dodger Baseball” in 2019 as recognition of franchise greats and their impact on and off the field.

Inductees receive a plaque honoring achievements during their careers with the Dodgers, which also go on permanent display at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers also started giving honorees a custom blue blazer.

Don Newcombe, Steve Garvey and Fernando Valenzuela made up the inaugural Legends of Dodger Baseball class in 2019.

Since then, the Legends of Dodger Baseball group has grown to include Maury Wills, Kirk Gibson, Orel Hershiser and Dusty Baker.

Those in the Legends of Dodger Baseball can overlap with the Dodger Stadium Ring of Honor, whose members had their respective numbers retired by the Dodgers.

Legends of Dodger Baseball history

Don Newcombe, 2019

Newcombe spent eight of his 10 MLB seasons with the Dodgers, from 1949-1951 and 1954-1958. He missed the 1952 and 1953 seasons while serving in the Korean War.

Newcombe was part of the Dodgers’ first World Series team in 1955, a four-time All-Star, 1949 Rookie of the Year, and winner of the Cy Young and MVP Awards in 1956.

“I’m so honored to be part of this first group of Legends, and want to thank the Dodgers for this great honor,” he said at the time. “I’ve been with the franchise for 61 years, in both Brooklyn and Los Angeles, and I still feel so fortunate to call myself a Dodger.”

Steve Garvey, 2019

Garvey played 14 of 19 seasons with the Dodgers. From 1969-1982, he was a member of four National League pennant-winning teams and the 1981 World Series club.

Garvey ranks among the all-time Los Angeles leaders in hits (1,968; second), doubles (333; first), home runs (211; third), RBI (992; first) and games played (1,727; third).

“From being a bat boy in 1956 for the Brooklyn Dodgers to the draft of 1968 and the success we enjoyed over a 14-year career in Dodger Blue, I feel so fortunate to continue to be affiliated with this great franchise,” Garvey said at the time.

“There have been so many great players to wear the Dodger uniform, and I’m grateful for this extraordinary honor. I’m most thankful to my family, Dodger owners Peter O’Malley and Guggenheim Partners, manager Tommy Lasorda and all the players I played with and against. Thank you to the Dodgers for this recognition, and to the fans for making my time in Los Angeles so special.”

Fernando Valenzuela, 2019

Valenzuela sparked a phenomenon en route to playing out a career that included a Rookie of the Year Award, Cy Young, six All-Star Game selections, two Silver Slugger Awards and a pair of World Series championships, among other accomplishments.

“The Dodgers have meant so much to me during my 11 years on the field, and now 16 in the broadcast booth, and I’m honored to be among the first Dodger Legends,” Valenzuela said. “Thank you to the Dodger organization for this great recognition, and to the fans for their years of support.”

Maury Wills, 2022

Maury Wills was inducted into the Legends of Dodger Baseball during the 2022 season alongside Kirk Gibson.

Although he did not attend the ceremony at Dodger Stadium, Wills wrote a speech thanking the organization and fans for the honor.

Wills played 14 seasons from 1959-1972, of which 12 were with the Dodgers. He hit a lifetime .281 and finished with 586 career stolen bases. The 1962 NL MVP was also a seven-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove Award winner at shortstop.

Kirk Gibson, 2022

Gibson, who is a current Detroit Tigers broadcaster, also did not attend his induction ceremony due to recent knee surgery. Manny Mota and Bill Russell shared the honor of unveiling Gibson’s plaque on the field.

Gibson signed with the Dodgers as a free agent before the 1988 season. His time in L.A. got off to a rocky start as he did not take kindly to an eye black prank carried out by Jesse Orosco during Spring Training.

Ultimately, Gibson’s hard-nose mentality rubbed off on his teammates and the Dodgers went on to win the NL West.

The team’s improbable season included defeating the New York Mets to win the NL pennant and culminated with upsetting the heavily-favored Oakland Athletics in the 1988 World Series.

Injuries limited Gibson to just one at-bat in the Fall Classic, but it stands out in Dodgers franchise lore.

With the Dodgers trailing 4-3 and down to their last out in Game 1, Gibson entered as a pinch-hitter and hit a walk-off home run against vaunted closer Dennis Eckersley.

The Dodgers won the World Series in five games and Gibson was later named 1988 NL MVP. He spent two more seasons with L.A. and retired in 1995.

Manny Mota, 2023

Mota was inducted into the Legends of Dodger Baseball during the 2023 season alongside Orel Hershiser. “This is a great honor and a great privilege, and I’m very grateful to the Dodgers for selecting me as a Legend of Dodger Baseball,” Mota said at the time.

Mota has been a member of the Dodgers organization for more than 50 years as a player, coach and broadcaster. He previously held the distinct honor of being the longest-tenured coach in franchise history (1980-2018).

“I don’t consider myself a legend, just another person who always tried to contribute to the Dodgers and give my best. I am humbled and really appreciate what the Dodgers are doing for me. I consider Dodger Stadium my home away from home, and I consider myself to be an adopted son of the Dodger organization.”

Orel Hershiser, 2023

Hershiser played 13 of his 18 seasons with the Dodgers, which included winning the 1988 World Series. That season he led the NL in wins (23), innings pitched (267), shutouts (eight) and complete games (15) en route to earning the Cy Young Award and setting the all-time record of 59 consecutive scoreless innings.

Hershiser remains connected to the Dodgers franchise as a SportsNet LA analyst. “I am humbled to be inducted into the Legends of Dodger Baseball with my wonderful friend, coach and mentor Manny Mota,” Hershiser said at the time.

“This is the part of life that you never imagined. To think I was drafted in the 17th round in 1979 and here now I am still representing this great organization. The Dodgers have been one of the most important parts of my life. I love my teammates, I love this organization and I love you fans.

“The experiences that I’ve had in uniform on and off the field have taken my life to places I never thought I could go. Thank you so much for this recognition and God bless all of you.”

Dusty Baker, 2024

Dusty Baker played for the Dodgers in parts of eight seasons from 1976-1983, winning two Silver Slugger Awards and a Gold Glove Award. He was named to two NL All-Star teams, the first of which came during the Dodgers’ World Series championship season in 1981.

“I just want to say thank you to my teammates,” Baker began. “I’m hoping I helped make them better because they made me a better ballplayer and person.”

Baker’s speech also included thanking Hall of Fame manager Tommy Lasorda and recalling his days listening to Vin Scully on a transistor radio as a child and dreaming of playing for the Dodgers.

“I don’t feel like a legend. These guys made me a legend,” Baker concluded.