‘Legend of the Lakers’: Collector’s book celebrates 75 years of the Lakers
The name is a bit puzzling for a Los Angeles sports team, but the franchise’s impact is undeniable. The Los Angeles Lakers have worked their way into the fabric of the Southland and been admired both locally and nationally as a team that transcends geography.
This season is the 75th for the Lakers, a team born among the 10,000-plus lakes of Minnesota, but fostered in the City of Angels.
Trying to pick your favorite Lakers moments is more likely tied to your age than anything else. Some might remember, or at least have heard of, the exploits of George Mikan, who essentially invented the center position. The Lakers were in Minneapolis then, on their way to five NBA titles before moving to Los Angeles in 1960.
With the Lakers celebrating their 75th anniversary this season, The Times looks back at the people and moments that made the team one of the most successful franchises in sports.
Then, built on the backs of Elgin Baylor and Jerry West and the voice of Chick Hearn, the Lakers found solid footing in the L.A. sports landscape. What followed was a parade of legends such as Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the chaos and celebration of Showtime and Magic Johnson. It was followed by Kobe and Shaq, and now LeBron James.
In an effort to help you remember these 75 years and 17 championships, we’ve put together this 160-page hardcover book. It’s based largely on the work of award-winning reporters and photographers of the Los Angeles Times.
The book, which normally sells for $45, is available for preorder. And if you go to the L.A. Times online store, you can purchase the book at a discounted rate of $33.75 for a limited time.
The book is expected to ship on Nov. 18.
Watch L.A. Times Today at 7 p.m. on Spectrum News 1 on Channel 1 or live stream on the Spectrum News App. Palos Verdes Peninsula and Orange County viewers can watch on Cox Systems on channel 99.
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