Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Eat it or Pet it - Your Choice


Clayton and Ellen Kershaw spend some time holding a baby Kangaroo during their off day in Australia, pic via @ellenkershaw on twitter.

Of course, you can do what Tim Federowicz did instead, via his twitter:


(pic via The Moderate Voice)

Sorry.  I couldn't help myself.

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The Wally Moon 1961 Union Oil Dodger Family Booklet

Here is another post featuring the 1961 Union Oil Dodger Family Booklet set.  Go here to see my past post showcasing this set; including complete scans of both the Vin Scully/Jerry Doggett and Sandy Koufax booklets.  This time I share the Wally Moon Booklet.

Wally Moon has been described as a ballplayers ballplayer; meaning he was always consistently great at his position.  He ably played the left field wall at the Coliseum, and had a penchant for hitting in the clutch.  He once said,
"I've always like challenges.  I like to feel that I'm the guy who can come through when the going's toughest.  My idea of a picnic is coming to bat in the ninth inning with a runner on base."
Wall Moon was also famous for his slicing opposite field home runs over the tall left field fence at the Coliseum.
When I came to the Coliseum," he explains, "I started hitting to right and center like other lefties.  But, with the size of those fields out there, this was really battling the odds.  So I started to work on something new."
That something new was a hitting method that included keeping his hands in close in order to slap the ball to left.  His home runs there would soon be called "Moon Shots". 

I would suggest taking some time to check out his official website here: WallyMoon.com, and you should definitely check out his autobiography titled "Moon Shots".  BTW, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention what card collectors know him best for -  his fantastic unibrow that is both glorious and majestic. 

Below are complete scans of every page from Norm Larker's 1961 Union Oil Dodger Family Booklet.  Click any pic to embiggen. 









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2014 Topps Heritage Baseball - The Dodger Base & Variation Cards

I'm sure this is the post many of you have been waiting for.  Here are all of the Dodger base cards that can be found in 2014 Heritage Baseball.  As you likely know, it uses the design from the very popular 1965 Topps vintage card set.  Card #425 to #500 are all short printed.  Also included in this post are all of the variations that exist.

BTW, you can check out all of my post featuring Dodger cards from this set, here.

Base Set

#8 ERA Leaders                                  #10 Pitching Leaders

#12 Strike Out Leaders                                    #22 A.J. Ellis


#40 Carl Crawford                                  #76 Chris Capuano

#79 Dan Haren                                    #84 Hyun-Jin Ryu

#101 Brian Wilson                                #217 Don Mattingly

#219 Michael Young                                #238 Josh Beckett

#260 Zack Greinke                                      #287 Juan Uribe

#300 Clayton Kershaw

#331 Onelki Garcia - Nick Buss

#370 Matt Kemp                                 #384 Andre Ethier

#403 Kenley Jansen

Card numbers #426 to #500 are all short printed base cards to the set.  Three Dodgers are a part of this portion of the set.  See them below.

Base High-Numbered Short Prints

#426 Yasiel Puig                                 #437 Hanley Ramirez

#473 Adrian Gonzalez

BTW, there are also miniature parallel cards of 7 of the above Dodger cards that are randomly inserted into packs.  The are all numbered to only 100 copies, and are roughly 20% smaller than the normal card.  They are called Mini Base Variations.  Below is a checklist of the Dodger cards:
  • #84 Hyun-Jin Ryu
  • #260 Zack Greinke
  • #300 Clayton Kershaw
  • #370 Matt Kemp
  • #426 Yasiel Puig
  • #437 Hanley Ramirez
  • #473 Adrian Gonzalez

All of the cards below are short printed variations featuring action photographs of 5 different Dodger players.  Check out all of them below.

Action Image Variations

#84 Hyun-Jin Ryu                            #300 Clayton Kershaw


#370 Matt Kemp                                      #426 Yasiel Puig


#437 Hanley Ramirez

Below is the Dodgers logo variation cards of Yasiel Puig.  As you will notice, the Dodger logo has been replaced with the "LA" logo in the pennant.


Logo Variations

#426 Yasiel Puig

Only 100 cards from the 2014 Heritage Base Set have a Chrome Base Variation.  Seven Dodgers are a part of this set.  As is usual, there are numerous parallel cards available, as well.


Chrome Base Variations

#84 Hyun-Jin Ryu                                  #260 Zack Greinke

#300 Clayton Kershaw                                #370 Matt Kemp

#426 Yasiel Puig                                   #437 Hanley Ramirez


#473 Adrian Gonzalez

Below are the two Walmart exclusive Blue Border variation Dodger cards that are available.


Blue Border Variations

#300 Clayton Kershaw                                 #426 Yasiel Puig

There are also three Target exclusive Red Border variation Dodger cards that are available, but I have yet to see any. In fact, I have yet to see red border cards from any team.  What's up with that?  Do these cards even exist?  Below is a Dodger checklist.

Red Border Variations

#84 Hyun-Jin Ryu                               
#260 Zack Greinke
#437 Hanley Ramirez
UPDATE:  Here are the red border Target Dodger cards.

#84 Hyun-Jin Ryu                                   #260 Zack Greinke

#437 Hanley Ramirez

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