Charmed, IÕm (Sort of) Sure

Since 1991, IÕve been keeping track of how well the Dodgers do when I attend games versus when I donÕt. IÕve been faithful at it, and have only been betrayed by a couple of computer crashes.

Here are the numbers:
(Note: I have seen the Dodgers on the road a couple of times in this period, but IÕm still only going to compare to their home record.)

2002: 46-35 (.568) overall, 16-14 (.533) with me
2001: 44-37 (.543) overall, 20-17 (.541) with me
2000: 44-37 (.543) overall, 14-9 (.609) with me
1999: 37-44 (.457) overall, 20-21 (.488) with me
1998: 48-33 (.593) overall, 20-22 (.476) with me
1997: 47-34 (.580) overall, 43-31 (.581) with me
1996: 47-34 (.580) overall, 35-26 (.574) with me
1995: 39-33 (.542) overall, 16-10 (.615) with me
1994: 33-22 (.600) overall, 19-11 (.633) with me
1993: 41-40 (.506) overall, 4-5 (.444) with me
1992: 37-44 (.457) overall, 17-19 (.472) with me
1991: 54-27 (.667) overall, 26-12 (.684) with me
Total: 517-420 (.551) overall, 250-197 (.559) with me

Prorated over a 162-game season, the Dodgers would win 90.5 games with me attending, 89.2 games without me.

Given the fact that I enjoy attending games against good opponents rather than bad ones, this statistically irrefutable evidence of my value is sort of cool. On the other hand, I tried to avoid days that guys like Kevin Gross or Tom Candiotti would pitch when I could (though I always seemed to end up seeing Candiotti anyway.)

My luckiest year appears to be 1995, while in '98 I could hardly buy a win.

I spent most of 1993, by the way, in Washington D.C. in graduate school. The years of 1996-1997, on the other hand, were marked by much time spent being single and unemployed in Los Angeles. In any case, I know I'm not Vin Scully, but 447 games in 12 years is a little impressive, isn't it?

* * *

Whenever I come home from a game, again almost without fail, I write a one-line summary of what was memorable. I skimmed them last night and picked out some of the more fun or interesting entries:

1992
April 17 Dodgers 7, Braves 5 with Mom (2), Dad (2), Grandma Sue (1). StrawÕs 2 homers rally team from 4-1.
April 29 Phillies 7, Dodgers 3 with Gary (1), Greg (5), Beth (2). Stadium clears out on night of King riots
June 30 Padres 2, Dodgers 1 with Dad (16), Greg (10), Beth (5). Harris PR, Javier PH, LasordaÕs an idiot.
July 3 Dodgers 2, Phillies 0 with Dad (18), Mom (12). A running, leaping Astacio hurls 10-K 3-hitter in debut.

1995
June 7 Dodgers 7, Expos 1 with Dad (4) Mondesi homers, Offerman on fire, Nomo pitches out of bases full in 1st
July 16 Marlins 5, Dodgers 2 with James (3), Robyn (1). This team has no backbone.
Sept. 22 Dodgers 6, Padres 5 with John (2), Mary (1). Dodgers score 4 off Fernando, have to squeak by.

1997
April 9 Dodgers 3, Mets 2 (14) with Jim (1). More feeble offense - 26 out in a row combined by the two teams. Piazza GW single.
June 30 Rangers 3, Dodgers 2 with Dad (24). Witt hits first AL P HR in 25 years. Mondesi, Piazza HR. Never led.
July 25 Dodgers 8, Phillies 1. Piazza, Karros 3RHR, 4RBI. Park 8 IP. Kid throws away foul ball, gets hit.
Sept. 7 Dodgers 9, Marlins 5 with Dad (32) This time up 5-0 and hanging on. Zeile GS, on base 11 straight times.
Sept. 21 Rockies 10, Dodgers 5 with Eileen (4), Lance (3). Piazza HR out of stadium, Mondesi HR, 5-1 lead, roof caves in.

1998
5/15 Expos 4, Dodgers 2 - the night of the trade
6/12 Dodgers 2, Rockies 1. Foul Ball!!! Mondesi HR in 5th ends perfect game, Young HR in 8th.
6/13 Rockies 4, Dodgers 2. Triple Play!!!
6/24 Dodgers 6, Angels 5 (11). Beltre debut: 2 for 5. Luke gets winning run.

1999
4/5 W Arizona 8-6 (11) Mondesi Day! 3-r HR in 9th, 2-r HR in 11th
4/23 L St. Louis, 5-12. GRAND SLAM RECORD - 2 by Tatis in third inning!
5/22 W St. Louis, 10-7. McGwire hits the roof and clears the park on one of two HR
8/28 L Chicago, 0-6. SosaÕs 54th in 7th off Dreifort breaks 0-0 tie. Farnsworth 2-hitter. Shutouts!
9/12 L New York, 10-3. Gagne sharp through 5 2/3, 3-2 on Piazza, then all lost.
9/22 L San Francisco, 5-4. Bullpen loses lead for Valdes. FOUL BALL #3, off Mondesi in 2nd!

2000
7/17 Dodgers 9, Pirates 6 Dana, Robyn, Gwin. Dreifort HBP on foot with bases loaded for go-ahead run.
9/27 Giants 4, Dodgers 0 Dad, Mom, Dana, Greg. Prokopec gives up HR and 3-R 2B in 4th. Too many food lines are closed.

2001
5/27 Dodgers 5, Astros 4 (12) Dad Dreifort 1H through 7IP, then Berkman 2-R HR in 8th and 12th. Dodgers 3 in bottom 12th (Berkman error). FOUL BALL
5/28 Dodgers 11, Rockies 10 (11) Dad LoDuca 6 for 6! Dodgers rally from 8-3 deficit.
6/24 Padres 6, Dodgers 1 Dana, Lenny, Lisa. Dreifort 0H through 4, out by 6. Eaton pitches three-hitter.
7/6 Mariners 13, Dodgers 0 Dana, Sky, Jon F., Elizabeth, Seth. Ichiro homers in first at-bat. Garcia 5 1/3 no-hit innings.
8/14 Expos 4, Dodgers 1 Park nono through 5 2/3, shutout through 8th, but Shaw allows four in ninth. 10 walks for Dodgers wasted.
8/30 Dodgers 5, Rockies 4 Dad. Dodgers hang on despite Park and ShawÕs rocky performances, HeltonÕs foul balls (60+ in series).
9/23 Giants 2, Dodgers 1 Bonds #67 wins it

2002
4/2 Giants 9, Dodgers 2 Bonds 2 HR, Brown pounded
4/3 Giants 12, Dodgers 0 Bonds 2 more HR, Nomo & Mulholland pounded
4/4 Giants 3, Dodgers 0 Dodgers scoreless for 25 innings
5/26 Dodgers 5, Brewers 3 Green hits 10th HR in 7 games
8/28 Dodgers 1, Arizona 0 Perez HR in 5th wins it. He goes 8 innings.

Two games from 1997 deserve elaboration. Yes, in one that I saw, a young boy got a foul ball, threw it away, and was punched by his father.
And the one saying Todd Zeile was on base 11 straight times? Is that possible? Todd Zeile???