Comeback Signals Return of Glory Days

Sweetest revenge since Bobby, and it just disappeared.

The ball soared off Steve Finley's bat, was sucked into sunlight and screams and 115 years of a baseball tradition that today pounds its chest again, and all you could see were Dodgers.

Dodgers streaming out of the dugout. Dodgers dancing down the baselines. Dodgers hugging and flopping and weeping.

Thousands more in the stands, untucked Dodger shirts, crooked Dodger caps, screaming and stomping and shaking the grand old lady awake after all these years, turning Chavez Ravine into one soulful roar.

Somebody said the hit dropped over the right-field wall. Somebody else said, yes, yes, look at the scoreboard, mercy, mercy, it was a grand slam.

By then, Finley had crossed home plate underneath a mob, Jim Tracy had skipped to home plate in a giant, tearful embrace, it was too loud to hear, everyone was too stunned to speak, and who cares about a little ball?

Saturday afternoon's 7-3 National League West Division-clinching victory over the San Francisco Giants was not about the swing of a bat, but the rebirth of a culture.

It has taken 16 years, five managers, three owners and perhaps the most incredible ninth inning in franchise history, but the Dodgers are the Dodgers again.

A team that epitomizes the relentlessness of its city. A team as tough as a morning commute, as lingering as a beach sunset, equal parts Hollywood Boulevard and Hollywood Squares.

A team classy enough to celebrate on the field with its fans, and regular enough to do it with Budweiser instead of Moet.

A team that scored the runs, then led the cheers, grabbing the microphone and shouting at the thousands who remained.

Shouted owner Frank McCourt: "You can never quit! They showed us what that means!"

Shouted rightful MVP owner Adrian Beltre: "We're going to the World Series!"

Sounds crazy, but so do 26 wins in their last at-bat, and 53 comeback victories among their 93 wins.

Sounds crazy, but so was Milton Bradley going into the stands again Saturday, but this time, during the postgame celebration, to slam down a little love.

And, oh yeah, one thing about the Giants:

Take that, Bobby Thomson.

You can have your little 1951 Shot Heard 'Round The World.

This was Seven Shots Heard 'Round The World, all in the final inning, all with one out, all of it starting with the Dodgers trailing, 3-0.