One of the most enjoyable aspects of life at the ballpark is not soliciting challenges of trivia questions, but rather helping colleagues, fans and even ballplayers of all ages appreciate the rich lore that extends beyond the statistics and record books.

Dodgers baseball stretches back to the 1880s, and few professional sports organizations can rival the history generated in Brooklyn and Los Angeles. Colorful characters and Hall of Fame performers, international visits and the continuing social impact of Jackie Robinson's Major League debut in 1947 make the Dodgers a daily source of conversation.

Everyone who follows the Dodgers is a historian in his or her own right, whether recalling the pitching brilliance of Sandy Koufax, the speed of Maury Wills, or the modern-day exploits of 2007 National League All-Stars Russell Martin, Brad Penny and Takashi Saito.

You might wonder, "How does one become a team historian?" In my case, the inability to hit the ball in Little League made it easy for a washed-up 7-year-old to savor everything else about the sport. Thirty-five years later, this "historian" turns into a grateful listener any time a legendary Dodger such as Vin Scully, Buzzie Bavasi or Tommy Lasorda shares stories from his own experiences.

As the Dodgers mark the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the ballclub on the West Coast, fans can vote for the Top 50 moments in franchise history on dodgers.com. And in the spirit of that celebration, here is one Top 10 ballot for the greatest moments in Los Angeles history:

1. Kirk Gibson's 1988 World Series Home Run
Unable to start the Series opener against Oakland at Dodger Stadium due to knee and hamstring injuries, the National League's MVP limped off the bench to face Hall of Fame reliever Dennis Eckersley in the ninth inning with the Dodgers trailing, 4-3, two out and Mike Davis on first base.

Gibson actually sat in the trainer's room for eight innings and jumped off the table when Scully, previewing the ninth inning, said that he couldn't play.

A clubhouse attendant put several baseballs on a batting tee, and in the span of just a few minutes, manager Tommy Lasorda was told that Gibson wanted a chance. Lasorda waited to bat Gibson until there were two outs and told the player to remain hidden in the tunnel leading to the dugout. He gave Gibson two strikes to hit the ball out of the ballpark, then played for a tie, as Davis stole second base during Eckersley's sixth pitch to Gibson. Lasorda reasoned that the Athletics wouldn't walk Gibson with two strikes.

Just before a full-count pitch, Gibson remembered Dodgers scout Mel Didier warning that Eckersley liked to throw a backdoor slider in those situations. Swinging off his front foot, Gibson connected for the magical game-winning home run, hobbling around the bases and into October folklore. It was his only at-bat of the World Series, won by the Dodgers in five games. Gibson's home run was later voted as the greatest sports moment in Los Angeles history in balloting by the Los Angeles Sports Council.

2. Sandy Koufax's 1965 Perfect Game
It's appropriate that the most dominant pitcher in franchise history became the first and only Dodger to craft a perfect game, on Sept. 9, 1965. The Hall of Fame left-hander had pitched no-hitters in each of the three previous seasons. Koufax retired all 27 Chicago Cubs batters in a 1-0 victory at Dodger Stadium. Koufax struck out 14, including the final six batters. His hard-luck opponent, Bob Hendley, allowed only a walk and a bloop double, both to Lou Johnson, who scored in the fifth on the walk, a sacrifice bunt, a stolen base and a throwing error.

3. Fernando Valenzuela's 8-0 Start in 1981
With five shutouts in his first eight starts, the left-hander from Mexico became an international sensation. A September 1980 callup who made 10 scoreless appearances in relief, Valenzuela was an emergency starter on Opening Day 1981 after injuries to Jerry Reuss and Burt Hooton.

Valenzuela pitched a 2-0 complete game against the Houston Astros, and three months later was invited to the White House for a reception hosted by the president of Mexico. Valenzuela is the only player to win both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards in the same season, and the lone pitcher in the Majors to win his first eight career starts since the Boston Red Sox's Dave Ferriss in 1945.

4. Roy Campanella Night
Although a tragic auto accident prevented Hall of Fame catcher Roy Campanella from playing on the West Coast, more than 93,000 attended a benefit exhibition game with the New York Yankees at the Los Angeles Coliseum on May 7, 1959. The most poignant moment occurred when former shortstop Pee Wee Reese pushed Campanella's wheelchair toward home plate in the fifth inning as the stadium lights were dimmed. Patrons struck matches in silent prayer for the paralyzed Campanella, who outlived his doctors and passed away at age 71 in 1993.

5. Dodgers Sweep Yankees in 1963 World Series
Series MVP Koufax pitched a 2-1 victory in Game 4 to cap an improbable sweep of the Dodgers' traditional October rivals. Of the six Dodgers championships, it remains the only one clinched on their home field.

6. Rick Monday's 1981 Pennant-Winning Home Run
The veteran outfielder's tie-breaking home run in the ninth inning of Game 5 of the National League Championship Series at Montreal propelled the Dodgers to the World Series against the Yankees and eventually their first championship since 1965. Monday was already a hero among Dodgers fans when he played for the Chicago Cubs, having rescued the American flag from burning by two protesters during a game at Dodger Stadium in 1976.

7. Dusty Baker Gives Dodgers 30-Homer Quartet
The outfielder hit No. 30 on the final day of the regular season in 1977 against Houston's J.R. Richard to join Steve Garvey (33), Reggie Smith (32) and Ron Cey (30) as the first quartet in Major League history to each hit 30 or more home runs for the same team in one season.

8. Orel Hershiser Surpasses Don Drysdale's Scoreless Innings Streak
In June 1988, the Dodgers honored the 20th anniversary of Drysdale's "unbreakable" streak of 58 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings. Three months later, as a team broadcaster, Drysdale was the first to congratulate Hershiser in the dugout at San Diego after his 10 scoreless innings against the Padres raised the bar to 59.

9. Dodgers Play First Game in Los Angeles
A festive crowd of more than 78,000 at the Coliseum watches the veteran right-hander Carl Erskine and the Dodgers defeat the San Francisco Giants, 6-5, on April 18, 1958. Although the Dodgers finished in seventh place during their first season on the West Coast, the sports landscape in Los Angeles would never be the same.

10. Dodgers Retire First Three Uniform Numbers
The uniform numbers of Hall of Famers Koufax (32), Campanella (39) and Robinson (42) become the first of 10 retired by the franchise. The Old-Timers Day ceremonies in 1972 marked Robinson's final appearance at Dodger Stadium. He passed away four months later at age 53.