Twenty-Five Years and Being Blue At Yom Kippur At Devonshire Downs

Back in the old days of transistor radios, the Jewish Holidays such as Yom Kippur would also mean that the Dodgers were in the World Series. I recall many a Yom Kippur service at the historical Devonshire Downs, with air circulating fans ablazing and the Rabbi sermonizing, that many of the faithful were carrying ear pieces to listen to our Dodgers as they took on the likes of Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford en route to a sweep in 1963 and then a hard fought battle in 1965 against the Minnesota Twins.  These were the days of Koufax and Drysdale, Tommy and Willie Davis and the elusive Maury Wills.  Fast forward my friends and it is 1988, and the legend of Kirk Gibson and the underdog Dodgers taking on the Oakland A's resplendent in their white shoes.
It is now 25 years later, and alas no World Series Championships for our beloved Dodgers.  They have not been in the playoffs since 2009 and the names of Garvey, Lopes, Russell, Cey and  Steve 'Boomer' Yeager are just a fond memory.  But..awaken Dodger fans, because hope has broken out of the horizon and the 2013 Los Angeles Dodgers are in the mix for a World Series Championship.  We now have the likes of Ramirez, Puig, Kershaw and Grienke with beards and tats ablazing. They are the whiz kids that took an ailing ball club from the depths of dismay into the inhabitants of the 'Magic Blue Castle' at Chavez Ravine with a 2013 Western Division pennant.  We had a taste of the World Series this July when the silver tongued Vin Scully called a couple games with the Yankess, which harkened a few of us back to the days of Devonshire Downs and times when you could buy a Mickey Mantle glove from Rawlings for less than 20 dollars and field boxes were $3.50.  October is going to turn blue this year because our Dodgers are a team of destiny, as they soaked up their first accomplishment yesterday as they frolicked in the Diamond Back's pool.  Are the Dodgers all wet or did they whet our appetites for the years when World Series Championships were the creedo of our Dodgers?  The Boys of Summer are now our awesome autumn avengers coming to a ball park near you.  You see, the Dodgers are OUR TEAM, whether you grew up in the valley or East L.A.  Dodger Blue has changed a few shades since I laced on my spikes, but October will be different this year as the Dodgers seek to recapture the swagger that they have not had since 1988.  Perhaps no more straving for a World Series victory after Yom Kippur. Go Dodgers....