Dodgers Blue Heaven: Even More Dodger Goodies at SCP Auctions

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Even More Dodger Goodies at SCP Auctions

Last week I highlighted an incredible Vin Scully artifact (link here) that is available through SCP Auctions. It's his very first employment contract and it's currently at $8,577 -- nearly double what it was just a few days ago. Today, I thought it's be fun to take a look at some of the other Dodger stuff... And there's a lot of it.

For instance, there are nearly 20 different listings featuring Dodgers' game-worn uniform pieces -- from jerseys to pants. But none of those are as cool as the above highlighted 1959 Don Drysdale gamer (Auction Link). As you know, the Dodgers won their very first World Series title on the West Coast that season. It's currently priced at $12,100, at the time of this posting.

If you are looking for a more affordable Drysdale piece then the below jacket is for you (Auction Link).

Featured is a circa 1980's Don Drysdale coach-worn windbreaker and cap. Unfortunately, the jacket doesn't include a Dodgers script, but it did originally come from the Drysdale Collection that sold in 2016 - so you know it's a real one.

There are also a couple of items from the Dodgers 1956 "Tour of Japan". Check out a team photo album of the trip (Auction Link) and a kimono that belonged to Dixie Howell (Auction Link). Below are a couple of pics from the photo album featuring in-game action and a group tourist photo of the Dodgers.

Another item I thought worth sharing is correspondence between Dodger owner Charles Ebbets to the owners of the Yankees and Giants, dated December 3, 1917. (Auction Link) Per the auction description:

The letter invites the New York baseball brain trust to a meeting at the Imperial Hotel to discuss the “passage by the New York State legislature of a bill permitting base ball on Sundays.” Despite all three of New York’s baseball teams banding together, religious and political sensibilities were hard to buck, and Sunday ball remained against the law in the nation’s largest city until April 19th, 1919.

As you can guess, playing professional ball on Sunday in most of the country was illegal, so this letter suggesting a meeting of the minds has some historical significance.

Lastly, below is a one-of-a-kind Dodger collectible. As you know, the Dodgers have won plenty of pennants, but they also barely lost a bunch too. Nevertheless, it was important for the club to have their 'ducks-in-a-row' should a flag come their way. Therefore, they made plans to make sure management, players and fans could quickly get memorabilia. This meant designing everything from pins, rings, and collectibles sold to fans before the postseason began.

Below is the original art design for a press pin that would have been widely distributed had the Dodgers won the 1946 pennant. (Auction Link) Instead, they finished two games back of the Cardinals. BTW, the Dodgers actually started production of this press pin (obviously believing that they would take the National League crown). The hobby calls this a 'phantom' pin. You can see that on the left, below is the artwork.