As a lifelong Dodger fan, born and raised in West L.A., we would go to approx. 15-20 home games every year in Chavez Ravine.

In 1980, as a wee lad of 11 years old, the Dodgers were 3 games behind the Astros with 3 games to play.

The final weekend was some of the most exciting baseball one can imagine. The Dodgers managed to sweep the Astros at home, and to force a one game tie breaker the next day on Monday.

On Sunday, we called and were able to get tickets for the tie-breaker game the following day. I was allowed to skip school for the game, which even though it was a great childhood memory, the game itself was no contest.

Joe Niekro decided to pitch the game of his life, and was no match for Dodgers free-agent BUST Dave Goltz, and the Astros won 7-1. The Astros then proceeded to lose the NLCS to the Phillies of Rose-Schmidt-Carlton fame.

The Dodgers did get their revenge the following year in 1981 (the strike year), by beating the Astros in the NL West Division series, and then went on to beat the Phillies for the pennant and the Yankees in the World Series..