Davey Lopes Obituary

Davey Lopes, the second baseman who anchored one of baseball’s most celebrated infields and stole his way into the record books, died Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at a hospital in his hometown of East Providence, Rhode Island. He was 80.

The Los Angeles Dodgers announced his death in a statement: “The Dodgers mourn the loss of Davey Lopes, one of the finest base stealers in MLB history.”

Born May 3, 1945, in East Providence, one of ten children, Lopes was an all-state athlete in baseball and basketball before playing college ball at Iowa Wesleyan University and Washburn University. Drafted by the Giants in 1967, he chose to stay in school and signed with the Dodgers in 1968. Five seasons in the minor leagues followed before he made his MLB debut at Dodger Stadium on September 22, 1972, at age 27.

Lopes didn’t waste the time he’d waited. The following season, Lopes joined first baseman Steve Garvey, shortstop Bill Russell, and third baseman Ron Cey to form the longest-running infield in major league history. This quartet started together for eight and a half consecutive seasons. Named the fifth captain in Dodgers history in 1977, Lopes helped carry the franchise to four World Series appearances, winning the championship in 1981.

On the basepaths, he was breathtaking. In 1975, Lopes set a then-MLB record with 38 consecutive steals without being caught and led the majors with 77 stolen bases. He paced the National League the following year with 63. His career total of 557 steals ranks 26th in baseball history, and his 83% success rate surpasses those of Rickey Henderson and Lou Brock. A four-time All-Star selected each year from 1978 through 1981, he also won a Gold Glove in 1978.

After departing Los Angeles following the 1981 season, Lopes played for the Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, and Houston Astros before retiring in 1987. He remained in the game for three more decades as a coach and manager, leading the Milwaukee Brewers from 2000 to 2002 and winning a second World Series ring as the Philadelphia Phillies’ first-base coach in 2008. Ruben Amaro Jr., an assistant general manager on that title team, called him “the best base stealing coach we’ve ever had.

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