Sports Illustrated Dodger Covers

For decades, the Dodgers gained national and international prominence during the leadership of the O’Malley family, first under Walter and later his son Peter. One measure of the important role the Dodgers have played in American society is through their many covers of the magazine Sports Illustrated.

Sports Illustrated, celebrating its 50th Anniversary year (1954-2004) in 2004 ranked the sports teams with the most appearances on its covers in a special issue “The Covers All 2,548.” The Los Angeles Dodgers ranked fifth with 38 covers. The New York Yankees rank first (59 covers), followed by the Los Angeles Lakers (57), Dallas Cowboys (45) and Chicago Bulls (44). However, when the seven covers featuring the Brooklyn Dodgers, which were listed separately, are added to the Los Angeles total, 45 covers highlighting the Dodgers would place them in a tie for third place.

Duke Snider, the Hall of Fame center fielder, was the first Dodger featured on a SI cover on June 27, 1955. That same year, Dodger pitcher Don Newcombe (August 22) and Manager Walter Alston (September 26) were also SI cover images.

The Dodger who has appeared the most times on SI covers is Sandy Koufax, as the Hall of Fame left-handed pitcher is on five covers including March 4, 1963, April 13, 1964, December 20, 1965, May 15, 1967 and July 12, 1999.

In addition, Sports Illustrated has named its “Sportsman of the Year” from 1954-2005 and the Dodgers have had three winners -- Johnny Podres (1955), Sandy Koufax (1965) and Orel Hershiser (1988). No other professional team has had as many winners as the Dodgers.