Carl Erskine, Sandy Kofax, Don Newcombe, Joe Torre and Tom Lasorda

The Los Angeles Dodgers had an emotional 50th anniversary Pre-Opening Day ceremony yesterday where they paraded out some of the greatest names in baseball with style.  They wore their old faded uniforms and took their original positions bringing a flood of memories for everyone there. Carl Erskine...Don Newcombe...Wally Moon...Maury Wills...Jim Gentile...Dick Gray...Ron Cey...Sweet Lou Johnson...more than 3 dozen came out.

The orchestrator of this great event was Dr. Charles Steinberg, the Dodgers marketing vice president. A similar event was organized for the Boston Red Sox, his former team and for Fenway Park's public memorial for Ted Williams. Steinberg is a baseball pioneering executive who focuses on the fan experience in the stadium and the community. Dodgers president Jamie McCourt stated, "If it touches the fan's heart, it is Charles (Steinberg's) responsibility.

When the emotions could not have been any higher out came The Three Southpaw Magi: Fernando Valenzuela, Tom Lasorda and Sandy Kofax. Kofax hopped out of the Dodger's 3rd base dugout dressed not in his uniform but his civies, and went to the center of the diamond to join the others. All the contemporary Dodgers swarmed around him. There wasn't a dry eye in the house.