Los Angeles Dodgers: Five biggest enemies of the 1970s
By Jason Reed
2. Pete Rose and the Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds were very good in the 1970s, and unfortunately for the Dodgers, they also played in the National League West. The two teams often battled it out for supremacy in the West, some years the Reds came out on top, other years the Dodgers did. Regardless, it must have been fun to watch these two powerhouse teams battle it out for a postseason run.
The Reds took home the National League West title more often than not, winning the honor in 1970, 1972-73, 1975-76, and 1979. The Dodgers matched the Reds six titles with only three, taking home the honors in 1974, and 1977-78. There was only one lone season in which the Reds or Dodgers did not win the West, coming in 1971 from the Giants.
Seven of the ten World Series played in the ’70s involved either the Cincinnati Reds or the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers failed to win any, with the Reds winning two of four appearances with back-to-back victories in 1975-76. With Pete Rose leading the way, the Reds were the perfect team to stop the Dodgers, and more often than not, they did.
Heck, the Reds manager at the time, Sparky Anderson, even said the following regarding the Reds-Dodgers rivalry:
"I don’t think there’s a rivalry like ours in either league. The Giants are supposed to be the Dodgers’ natural rivals, but I don’t think the feeling is there anymore. It’s not there the way it is with us and the Dodgers."
This rivalry was special. While it could easily be number one on this list, the Dodgers have a bigger enemy that stopped them from two World Series titles.