A Bit of Los Angeles Dodgers History: The 1940s were the beginning of the Dodgers' emergence as a powerhouse and a historical first as Brooklyn broke baseball's color line with the signing of Jackie Robinson. Under the guidance of Leo Durocher, who became the Dodger manager in 1939, the Dodgers in 1941 won their first National League pennant in 21 years with a 100-54 record and played the first of their classic World Series confrontations against the New York Yankees. Outfielder Pete Reiser was dynamite in 1941. Reiser led the league in batting, runs scored, total bases, slugging percentage and triples, while teammate Dolph Camilli topped the league in home runs and RBI and was honored as the National League MVP. Whit Wyatt and Kirby Higbe paced the pitching staff with 22 victories apiece. (source: MLB.com)