Baseball has lost one of its most accomplished base runners with the passing of former Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Davey Lopes, who died Wednesday at the age of 80.
The Dodgers organization received word of Lopes’ death in Rhode Island from Lin Lopes, his former spouse.
During his decade-long tenure with Los Angeles, Lopes earned four All-Star selections and became a cornerstone of one of baseball’s most celebrated infields. He participated in four World Series appearances, capturing a championship ring in 1981. His 1,134 games at second base remain unmatched in franchise history, while his 1,145 games in the leadoff position trail only Maury Wills’ 1,279 in team annals.
Lopes reached the major leagues relatively late, making his debut on September 22, 1972, at age 27.
The following season marked the beginning of a historic run, as Lopes joined Steve Garvey, Bill Russell, and Ron Cey to form an infield unit that would start together for 8½ straight seasons.
Speed became Lopes’ calling card as he developed into one of baseball’s premier base thieves. His 418 stolen bases in Dodger blue rank second in team history behind Wills’ 490, while his 83.1% success rate (among players with at least 100 steals) stands as the franchise benchmark.
Lopes made history on August 4, 1974, becoming the first Dodger since Wills to swipe four bases in a single contest. Twenty days later, he matched the National League mark with five steals against St. Louis. The 1975 season brought another milestone when Lopes set what was then a major league record by successfully stealing 28 consecutive bases.
His speed dominated the basepaths in back-to-back seasons, leading all of baseball with 77 steals in 1975 and pacing the National League with 63 the following year. The 1978 campaign saw remarkable efficiency as he succeeded on 45 of 49 steal attempts.
That same 1978 season delivered Lopes’ finest World Series performance, highlighted by a two-homer opening game against the New York Yankees. He also earned Gold Glove recognition that year.
Following his Dodgers career, Lopes continued playing for Oakland (1982-84), Chicago Cubs (1984-86), and Houston (1986-87). His career totals included 557 stolen bases (26th all-time), a .263 batting average across 1,812 games, 155 home runs, 614 RBIs, 232 doubles, and 50 triples.
Lopes transitioned to managing after retirement, leading Milwaukee from 2000-02. His coaching career spanned multiple organizations including Baltimore, San Diego, Washington, Philadelphia, and a return to Los Angeles.
He earned a second World Series title as Philadelphia’s first-base coach before rejoining the Dodgers as baserunning and first-base instructor from 2011-15. His final major league seasons came as Washington’s first-base coach in 2016-17.
Lopes leaves behind siblings Patrick and John, along with sisters Jean, Judith, Mary, and Nina.
