Monday, June 01, 2009

Greatest Dodger Collection Ever

Mark Langill, the Dodgers team historian, recently visited a gentleman in Chattanooga by the name of Sal LaRocca about his Dodger collection that many believe may be the finest ever assembled. In fact, Langill speculated that it's only equal may be the collection put together by famed collector Barry Halper.
His memorabilia rooms are filled with signed items from former Dodgers pitchers such as Don Drysdale, Sandy Koufax, Don Sutton, Fernando Valenzuela and Orel Hershiser, as well as such position players as Leo Durocher, Jackie Robinson, Duke Snider, Steve Garvey and Eric Karros. He has World Series programs from 1916 and 1920; seats from Ebbets Field; uniforms worn by Koufax, Durocher and Robinson; and a ball from Valenzuela’s no-hitter in 1990.
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“After a while, it just doesn’t seem real,” Langill said. “Normally, if you’re in a museum setting, you look at things through a glass case. When you’ve got a 1916 World Series baseball in your hand, and then he hands you one from 1920, it’s like one of those ‘Night at the Museum’ things where all of a sudden Teddy Roosevelt comes to life.
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The “Babe” is best remembered for his success with the Yankees and the generational pain he caused Red Sox fans, but LaRocca prefers to focus on 1938, Ruth’s one season as Brooklyn’s first-base coach. LaRocca has a photo of Ruth with the Dodgers, the newspaper article announcing his hiring and four balls with his signature.
Read more about it here in the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Unfortunately, there are no pictures. Hopefully, we will one day see these items in a Dodger dedicated museum.

Hat Tip: SCD:

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