Blog Kiosk: 8/6/2020 - Dodgers Links & News - Some Odds and Ends

Chris Taylor, Baby! Per Matthew Moreno at Dodger Blue:

“It was a huge play. Chris has done so much to help us win baseball games,” Robert said. “Even the play before, to cut it off and keep the guy at first base. Then come in and make a strong, accurate throw. He does so many things. The triple that he got.

“He’s just a manager’s dream. He’s always ready when called upon and he seems to impact the game any time he’s in there.”

As you know, he recorded an assist on the last out of last nights game to help the Dodgers defeat the Pads, 7-6 (boxscore). Photo above via @Dodgers on twitter. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1908 St. Louis Cardinals hurler Johnny Lush throws a six-inning no-hitter to beat the Dodgers, 2-0. The game was halted due to rain, but still deemed an official game. In 1961 Maury Wills hit his first career home run when he hit a fourth inning solo homer off Cubs pitcher Jack Curtis to give the Dodgers a 5-1 lead. It only took 1,167 at-bats to hit his first dinger. (boxscore) In 1981, after a seven-week strike, a split-season format is approved by the players; such that the Yankees, A's, Phillies and Dodgers are declared the first-half champions of their respective divisions. They all would then qualify for the divisional series at the end of the season. In 2009 Andre Ethier hit his fifth walk-off hit of the season when he walloped a three-run home run against Braves closer Rafael Soriano to give the Dodgers a 5-4 victory. 
• Happy Birthday, Jake McGee, Clem Labine, Andy Messersmith & Ron Davis!

Blog Kiosk: 6/30/2020 - Dodgers Links & News - Some Odds and Ends

Casey was always a ham. Per the UPI Telephoto descriptor (eBay auction link):

7/24/65 - New York: Casey Stengel, whose third love (behind wife, Edna, and Baseball) must be posing for photographers, gets off wink number umpteen during Old Timers Day festivities at Shea Stadium 7/24. He's wearing an old Brooklyn Dodgers cap for the occasion. Casey celebrates his 75th birthday 7/30.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1962 Sandy Koufax had one of the best days of his career. He started off that evenings game at Dodger Stadium by throwing an Immaculate Inning during the first inning - striking out three batters on nine pitches. Then finished his day by completing his first career no-hitter against the hapless Mets, 5-0. In 1985 Pedro Guerrero slammed his 15th home run during the month of June - setting a major league record.  
• Happy Birthday, Blake Treinen, Pat Venditte, Johnny Miljus, Johnny Hudson, Mark Grudzielanek, Garret Anderson, Chan Ho Park, Mike Judd & Delwyn Young!

Blog Kiosk: 6/18/2020 - Dodgers Links & News - Some Odds and Ends

Here's a couple of old Dodgers' shaking hands after witnessing the Brooklyn clubs first World Series Championship in 1955. Featured is Dodger skipper Walter Alston and current Yankees/former Dodger manager Casey Stengel (eBay auction link). Per the descriptor on the reverse:

The Victor and The Loser -- New York: Yankees Manager Casey Stengel (right) congratulates a smiling Dodger Manager Walt Alston in the Brooklyn dressing room after the Dodgers won the rubber game of the World Series to win their first championship. The Dodgers whipped the Yankees, 2-0, to take the 7th and final game of the series at the Yankee Stadium Oct. 4th. 

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1938 the Dodgers sign their newest coach, Babe Ruth, to a contract. He hopes that he'll be installed as manager of the club the following season. As you know, that would not occur. Instead, it becomes clear that he is signed for publicity reasons -- he takes batting practice before the start of each game to guarantee high attendance. In 1988 the Dodgers signed amateur free agent Pedro Martínez. In 2014 Clayton Kershaw no-hit the Rockies at Dodger Stadium, 8-0. He recorded a career high 15 strike outs, no walks and missed a perfect game when Hanley Ramirez committed an error in the 7th inning. Watch Vin Scully's call here. 
• Happy Birthday, Sandy Alomar!

Blog Kiosk: 5/6/2020 - Dodgers Links & News - Some Odds and Ends

He's all smiles!

Check out this vintage United Press Photo taken shortly after the Dodgers defeated the Yankees in the 1955 World Series (eBay link).

The Victor and the Loser
New York: Yankee manager Casey Stengel (right) congratulates a smiling Dodger manager Walt Alston in the Brooklyn dressing room after the Dodgers won the rubber game of the World Series to win their first championship. The Dodgers whipped the Yankees, 2-0, to take the 7th and final game of the series at Yankee Stadium Oct. 4th.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1937 Baseball fans at both the Polo Grounds and Ebbets Field see the Hindenberg zeppelin fly overhead - just a few hours before it infamously exploded into a fireball in Lakehurst, New Jersey. In 1947 NL President Ford Frick threatens seven Cardinals players at Ebbets Field with banishment from the league should they follow through with their planned boycott to protest Jackie Robinson. In 1978 Dodger super-utilityman Lee Lacy becomes the first Major Leaguer to hit pinch-hit home runs in consecutive at-bats. On May 17th he would make it three-in-a-row.
• Happy Birthday, Les Webber, Mike McCormick & Mike Kincade!

Blog Kiosk: 4/2/2020 - Dodgers Links & News - Some Odds and Ends

Dated to Opening Day, April 17, 1934, here's a AP press photo featuring Dodger manager Casey Stengel shaking hands with Boston Braves skipper Bill McKechnie (eBay auction link).

BTW, the Brooklyn Dodgers won that afternoons contest, 8-7, on the back of homers by outfielders Danny Taylor and Hack Wilson and a complete game by Van Lingle Mungo.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1972 47-year old Dodger great Gil Hodges dies of an heart attack. In 2008 Dodgers coach Larry Bowa is ejected from the game for not staying within the boundaries of the coaching box. He is given a three-game suspension for "inappropriate and aggressive conduct," in which he had to be restrained by manager Joe Torre and bench coach Bob Schaefer. As background, Mike Coolbaugh, first base coach for the Double-A Tulsa Drillers, was killed the year prior from a batted ball that struck him in the temple while coaching. You can watch the ejection here.
• Happy Birthday, Hughie "Ee-Yah" Jennings, Don Sutton, Reggie Smith & Mike Kekich!

Dodger Correspondence: 1934 Wilbert Robinson Handwritten Letter to Casey Stengel

Check out this fantastic hand-written letter by retired Brooklyn Robins/Dodgers manager Wilbert "Uncle Robbie" Robinson to old friend Casey Stengel that is currently on auction at Heritage (link here). Dated March 6, 1934, the letter expresses great fondness and admiration for Stengel -- adding that he's happy to know that he will be managing his old club.

As you may know, Uncle Robbie headed the Brooklyn ballclub from 1914 to 1931, and coached Casey when he was just a lad with the team from Flatbush. Below is an what's written (unfortunately, Robinson's handwriting is a little difficult to decipher, so it might not be entirely accurate). It says:

Dear Friend Casey: 

I am sure pleased you have the position as Manager of The Brooklyn Club. I know you will do well in fact better than any one I know of with the material you have. Mrs. Robinson joins me in wishing you success and good luck. 

I am glad you kept Otto. He is one hundred percent man at all times. I owe him a letter and will write him soon. 

I expect to drive down to some of the training camps the last of this month and if I do I will stop and see you in Orlando.  

Give them hell old boy and make a good showing.

Yours As Ever, 

Wilbert Robinson 

I believe Otto is in reference to Otto Miller -- who caught for Robinson for much of his time in Brooklyn and would later on become a coach.

BTW, Uncle Robbie would not survive the year. In August of 1934 he would fall and hit his head, while also breaking his arm in a hotel accident. He would soon utter these words,

"Don't worry about it, fellas. I'm an old Oriole. I'm too tough to die."

A few days later he would die of a brain hemorrhage -- just months after a Baltimore Orioles teammate and fellow legendary manager John McGraw passed away.

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Blog Kiosk: 12/20/2018 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

During his two terms as President, Dwight D. Eisenhower attended 13 Major League Baseball games -- all of which were at the Senators home field in Washington DC, with exception of just one time. To open the 1956 World Series he gracefully threw out a ceremonial first pitch at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. Featured above is a Osvaldo Salas photograph of the event, via the National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. As you can see managers' Casey Stengel and Walter Alston were by his side.

On a side note, following the series loss for the Dodgers Ike spoke with Don Newcombe, saying:

"I think I know how much you wanted to win a World Series game. I for one was pulling for you, but I suggest that when you think over this past season you think of the twenty-seven games you won that were so important in bringing Brooklyn into the World Series."

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1976 the Dodgers traded Ted Sizemore to the Phillies for catcher Johnny Oats and a minor leaguer. In 1989 the Dodgers traded Mike Marshall and Alejandro Peña to the Mets for infielder Juan Samuel. In 2005 the Dodgers signed free agent outfielder Kenny Lofton.
• Happy Birthday, Branch Rickey, Erik Goeddel, Harry Stovey, Bob Hall, Butch Henline, Fred Merkle & Snooks Dowd!

Some Vintage Dodgers Memorabilia at REA

We are hours away from the start of Game 3 of the World Series, so why not begin the afternoon with some vintage Dodgers memorabilia. Featured here are some Dodger goodies found at REA's current Fall auction.

Directly above is a rarity. It is a 1940's era Ebbets Field employee badge. (Auction Link) To the right is a vintage ticket from the very last ballgame played at Ebbets Field, dated September 24, 1957. (Auction Link) Per the auction description:

While Brooklyn Dodgers fans were always a resilient group, forever buoyed by the familiar refrain of "wait 'til next year," nothing could have prepared them at the start of the 1957 season for what just a few short years earlier would have been the unthinkable: the Dodgers leaving Brooklyn. Yet that is just what happened when, on October 8, 1957, team owner Walter O'Malley announced he was moving the Dodgers to Los Angeles. Rumors had been swirling the entire summer about such a possibility, but most fans chose to bury their heads in the sand and ignore such blasphemous talk. Perhaps that's the only way to explain why, on September 24, 1957, only 6,702 fans attended Brooklyn's final home game of the season at Ebbets Field. It is also possible that some fans just could not bear to say goodbye to their beloved "bums" and the venerable old stadium they called home. The significance of the final out was obviously not lost on longtime organist Gladys Gooding, who serenaded the fans with the tune Auld Lang Syne as they exited the ballpark for the very last time.

A Dodgers-Mets Connection at Lelands Auction

I thought this would be fun to share -- even if it's not entirely about the Dodgers.

The New York Mets played their first season of Major League ball in 1962, and in order to create excitement and interest within the community management reached out to several former Brooklyn players. They signed up former Brooklynites Charlie Neal, Don Zimmer, Roger Craig, Billy Loes and the great Gil Hodges. Then they had Casey Stengel skipper the troupe.

As an homage to both the ol' Brooklyn team and the new New York club noted Daily News sports cartoonist Bill Gallo created the above image, and as you can see it also includes an outline of another old Brooklyn friend -- the Dodgers Bum originally created by Willard Mullin. (Auction Link) BTW, the jovial looking man in the background is Mets GM George Weiss.

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Blog Kiosk: 9/17/2016 - Dodgers Links - Anderson, Scully and Kenta Maeda

Kenta Maeda was brilliant enough to help the Dodgers defeat the Diamondbacks, 3-2.  Uncharacteristically wild, he went five arduous innings, recording six strike outs, three walks and one earned run with 94 pitches. It was enough, though, to help him earn his fifteenth victory of the season.  It also dropped the clubs "Magic Number" to just twelve games.  Via Doug Padilla at ESPN:

"He started to get a little better with his command, but he was just on the edges too much and missing with his fastball," manager Dave Roberts said. "With Kenta, you can tell. When he is getting ahead of guys with the fastball and then throwing the slider and is around the zone you know he has good rhythm. And he didn't have it [Friday] until the fourth inning. It was a grind for him."
...
"He still found a way, like he seemingly always does, to give us a chance to win a baseball game," Roberts said. "That's a sign of a great competitor, which Kenta is, and a winning pitcher. I don't know the win-loss, but Kenta, every single time he takes the mound he gives us a chance to win."

Maeda added more, via Ken Gurnick and Jake Rill at MLB.com:

"My command was off in general today and I wasn't able to get into a groove and put a lot of pressure on the other players to pick up the slack," said Maeda. "I felt okay overall, just didn't have my fastball command. Our team scored early in the game and that helped me."

Photo above via @Dodgers on twitter.  Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History:  In 1912 Brooklyn outfielder and future Hall of Famer Casey Stengel made his Major League debut.  He collects four hits, drives in two runs and swipes a pair of stolen bases.  In 1979 Dodger catcher Joe Ferguson hit his 20th homer of the season against the Atlanta Braves, which gave the team their fifth player with at least 20 homers on the year for the first time in franchise history.  In 1981 Fernando Valenzuela ties a Major League record for shutouts at eight when he defeated the Atlanta Braves, 2-0.  In 1996 Hideo Nomo threw the Dodgers 20th no-hitter in franchise history.  He defeated the Colorado Rockies, 9-0.  Watch the last out of this game here.

Blog Kiosk: 6/6/2016 - Dodgers Links - Crawford, Urias and Corey Seager

Corey Seager is making it look easy.

Yesterday afternoon he continued his hot-hitting ways by launching a couple more homers.  Overall, he recorded six hits, five of which were home runs, six RBI's and a walk against the Braves this weekend.  Per Mike DiGiovanna at the LA Times:

“It’s kind of déjà vu,” Roberts said. “It keeps happening every day, and I could get used to it. He’s got a very sound, short swing and power to all fields. He can hit any pitch to any part of the ballpark. It’s special. There’s only a few guys who can do that. But it starts with his pitch recognition.”

Seager had this to add, via Matthew Moreno at Dodgers Nation:

“I was putting good swings on balls, getting lucky, elevating them and they’re going out,” Seager said on Sunday. “It’s just one of those things that you try to do every day but it’s working right now.”

BTW, the Seager's very first  2016 Topps Now card that was available over the weekend sold 1,900 copies.  Go here to see my original post on this.  The photo above via Jill Weisleder/LA Dodgers 2016.  Go here to see more pics by Jill Weisleder and Jon SooHoo from yesterdays game.  Below are more links to check:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1918 Casey Stengel came up to bat for the first time at Ebbets Field after being traded that past winter.  While at the plate he called for time, lifted his hat and had a bird fly out.  The entire stadium was in laughter.  This is absolutely true!  In 1957 the first fog-out in Major League history happens at Ebbets Field.  In 1990 the Dodgers recorded their 8,000 National League victory.  They defeated Atlanta 8-5.  In 2006 (being the sixth day of the sixth month of the sixth year of the century) the Dodgers score six runs in the sixth inning during the sixth game of the homestand.  Also, on this day in 2006 the Dodgers drafted Clayton Kershaw with the seventh overall pic in the amateur draft.  Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider wrote a bit about this day here.
• Happy Birthday, Mark Ellis!

Blog Kiosk: 11/7/2015 - Dodger Links - Club Options, Qualifying Offers and Free Agents

With the Dodgers search for a new manager in full steam I thought the above 1934 International News press photo of two former Dodger skippers standing side-by-side to be timely.  Featured are Max Carey (left, manager from 1932 to 1933) and Casey Stengel (right, manager from 1934-1936) wearing their Brooklyn garb.  The above pic was found at the current Touchdown Treasures auction.  Check it out here.

Below are more links to check out:

• To the surprise of no one, via Steve Adams at MLB Trade Rumors, "Dodgers To Make Qualifying Offers To Anderson, Kendrick, Greinke."
• Check out who else elects to become a free agent, via a tweet from Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times:

Source: Chris Heisey is now a free agent. Cleared outright waivers.

— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) November 6, 2015

• Unsurprisingly, these three Dodgers' from the 2015 team will also be free agents, via JP Hoornstra on twitter:

#Dodgers are declining club options on Arroyo, Peralta and Utley.

— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) November 6, 2015

• Via Arash Markazi at ESPN, "Experts: Parkinson's disease shouldn't keep Kirk Gibson from managing again."

"I have patients who are teachers, professors, lawyers, doctors, bankers who are actively doing well with Parkinson's," said Dr. Michael Kaplitt, a neurosurgeon and associate professor of neurological surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York. "They're actively productive, and it doesn't prevent them from doing a variety of professions.

"You have to understand your limitations, but patients can do a variety of professions where their expertise and their mind are very valuable and the disability they have from the disease is well-enough controlled where they can be extraordinarily productive."

• Tim Dierkes at MLB Trade Rumors shares their, "2015-16 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions" here.  They believe Zack Greinke and Brett Anderson will remain Dodgers'.  Furthermore, they suggest the Dodgers might be in the running for the services of David Price, Johnny Cueto, Scott Kazmir, John Lackey or JA Happ.
• Joc Pederson is the Banksy of the Major Leagues.  He shared the below photo on Instagram yesterday:

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Blog Kiosk: 11/10/2014 - Dodger Links - Japan Series with Puig and Our Outfielders on Trading Block

Here's a fantastic vintage photo of future Hall of Famer Casey Stengel of the Brooklyn Dodgers in the classic checkerboard style 1916 uniform.  The grin on his face is classic.  Photo shared by r/dlevine09 on reddit.

Below are some links to check out:

• Dodger Penguin shares a recap of the Don Sutton Signing at Harry's Dugout this past weekend, here.
• Listen to Dodger GM Farhan Zaidi speak to Fred Roggin via The Beast980.
• Via Tony Ciniglio at the LA Daily News, "L.A. Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig embraces trip to Japan for upcoming MLB goodwill tour."

  

  (pic tweeted by @MLB)

“I’m happy to be going with such a great team and to be playing with so many great players on this team,” Puig said in Spanish. “We started training today, and I think we are well-equipped, and we are making sure we are ready for a couple days out there.

“It’s a really long flight, and we’re not just going for fun. Even though we are players from different teams, we want to play well.”

Jon Weisman shares even more photos featuring Puig's fantastic exploits in Japan.  Go here to check it out.  Below is the MLB Network tv schedule for the Japan Series, tweeted by @DodgersPR on twitter:

• These rumors tweeted by FoxSports reporter Ken Rosenthal should come as no surprise.  You had to figure the new Dodger front office wants to tackle the 'outfield issue' right away:

Sources: #Dodgers aggressively trying to move Kemp, Crawford or Ethier. Puig not in play.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 10, 2014

#Dodgers willing to include anything from no money to significant money depending upon return.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 10, 2014

#Dodgers' Kemp obviously drawing attention, but some teams prefer a left-handed hitter such as Ethier or Crawford.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 10, 2014

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2014 Panini Golden Age Baseball - All the Dodger Cards

Panini America released their 3rd Baseball themed card set last week.  It is called Golden Age Baseball, and it includes numerous old-tyme players.  Due to a lack of an MLB license these cards do not include either team logos or even team names.  Instead, the city that each player represents in noted. 

In my opinion, the base card design is horrible.  On the other hand, the insert cards that borrow designs from several relatively unknown vintage card sets are phenomenal.  I especially love the Darby Chocolate cards I show at the very bottom.

Base Set

#32 Zack Wheat

#66 Tommy Lasorda

#120 Dusty Baker

#138 Steve Yeager

#139 Davey Lopes

The Frank Robinson card is the only known Dodger variation card in the set.  As you can see, the only reason he is regarded as a Dodger in the card below is the city notation of "Los Angeles" underneath his photo.  In the normal base card "Baltimore" is indicated underneath Robinson's photo. 

Base Variations Set 

#102 Frank Robinson

1913 National Game Set

#8 Zack Wheat

Historical Signatures Set

#BAK Dusty Baker

#RMO Rick Monday

#LOP Davey Lopes

#STV Steve Yeager

Museum Age Collection Set

#35 Tommy Lasorda

Star Stamps Set

#12 McGraw, Gleason, Mack & Stengel

#28 Mathewson, Young, Jackson & Wheat

All the remaining cards below are box-toppers.  Each box of cards comes with a large sized pack that contains either a 5x7 super-sized card, or a 3-card strip of Darby Chocolate themed cards.  Below are the Dodger players included.

BTW, There is a 5x7 memorabilia card (#9) of Duke Snider available, but I have yet to see a photo of it.  Directly below is the non-memorabilia card of Snider that is available.

5x7 Box Topper

#9 Duke Snider

I just love the design of these Darby Chocolate themed cards.  The vintage versions are super rare, and can sell for thousands in VG condition card.  Below, I highlight two Dodger players from the set.  Zack Wheat, of course, is known as a Dodger Hall of Famer; whereas, Rube Marquard is known more for his years as a NY Giants Hall of Famer pitcher.  Still, Marquard pitched 6 years in Brooklyn; recording 56 wins and helping the club to 2 National League Pennants.

Darby Chocolate 3-card Panel Box Toppers

#23 Zack Wheat & #24 Rube Marquard

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Some Dodgers Memorabilia at Hunt Auctions

Following up on my post from yesterday featuring Dodgers' artwork at Hunt's 10th Anniversary Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory Auction, I now bring to you some of my favorite Dodgers' memorabilia items. 

Below is a semi-hardened foam Baseball from a "Welcome Luncheon" held at L.A.'s Statler Hotel on 10/27/1957.  It has been signed by Casey Stengel and Walt Alston.  Over 1,100 new local fans attended this gala event.  This is the first time I've seen this particular Dodger memorabilia item.

(auction link)

Below is a 1954 Gil Hodges New York Press Photographers Sports Award.

(auction link)

Here is a circa 1960's LA Dodgers equipment bag that has been signed by Duke Snider, Clem Labine, Ralph Branca, and Carl Erskine.

(auction link)

This last item would look great in anyone's Dodger room.  Here are 3 vintage stadium seats from Ebbets Field. 

(auction link)

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eBay: Red Barber's Big League Baseball Game

Wow!  Take a look at this vintage Baseball board game sponsored by Brooklyn Dodger announcer Red Barber.  He declares that it has "All the Thrills, Excitement, and Suspense of Real Baseball."  Even better is that it showcases 6 Major Leaguers who have endorsed the game on the cover:  Stan Musial, Tom Heinrich, Pee Wee Reese, Casey Stengel, Roy Campanella and Carl Erskine.

Below is a pic of the contents of the game in the auction.  Based upon some research I did, this game appears to be missing some key parts.  It was produced by G & R Anthony Inc. in 1950.  I have no idea how the game is played, but would love to learn.

(auction link)

Here is a closer look at the ballplayers featured on the bottom row of the board game.

(auction link)

(auction link)

(auction link)

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