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: 7/26/2019 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Check out this fantastic photograph that is currently available at Heritage Auctions (link here). It features Jackie Robinson, wearing a Montreal Royals uniform, shaking hands with the legendary Honus Wagner prior to the start of an exhibition/barnstorm game in October 1946. Heritage includes a link to a story about the game (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette -- "Around Town: Jackie Robinson quietly showed how to integrate one day here in '46"):

The 4 o'clock game pitted a team of major leaguers -- largely Pirates and Cincinnati Reds, second-division clubs -- against "Jackie Robinson's all-stars." The great Honus Wagner, then 72, managed the major leaguers, and a three-paragraph item at the bottom of the page the next day declared: "Robinson Stars As Team Wins." 

About 3,000 watched as "Robinson cracked out a single, double and triple and fielded flawlessly at shortstop . . .The Negro star, who starred with Montreal and is the property of the Brooklyn Dodgers, drew praise from his major-league opponents on his fine play."

BTW, Jackie's team included several teammates from Montreal -- Marvin Rackley, Al Campanis and John Wright (also a Negro Leaguer). Additionally, Larry Doby, Monte Irvin and Roy Campanella joined his "Jackie Robinson All-Stars" that winter. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1948 Leo Durocher, the traitorous manager who jumped ship to the hated NY Giants just ten days prior, shows up in ugly Halloween orange at Ebbets Field for the first time since stabbing Dodger fans in the back. He is not greeting warmly, but he has the last laugh. The Giants win 13-4. In 1950 Dodgers outfielder Jim Russell becomes the first ballplayer in major league history to hit a home run from both sides of the plate during a game for the second time in a career. His record is eventually surpassed by Mickey Mantle in 1956 when he accomplished the feat for a third time. In 1991 Montreal starter Mark Gardner no-hit the Dodgers for nine innings, but eventually lost the game in the tenth. He allowed two singles and reliever Jeff Fassero gave up the winning hit to lose, 1-0.  Dodger pitchers Orel Hershiser, Kevin Gross and Jay Howell combine for a two hit shutout. In 1995 the Dodgers signed free agent amateur pitcher Eric Gagne out of Seminole State College. In 2008 the Dodgers received third baseman Casey Blake from the Indians for Jon Meloan and Carlos Santana. 
• Happy Birthday, John Butler, Sam Leslie, Hoyt Wilhelm, Glenn Mickens, Jody Reed & Brandon Morrow!

Memorabilia from Elton John's Concert at Dodger Stadium

I don't always pay attention to rock 'n roll memorabilia, but the current Heritage auction is a worthy exception. As I'm sure you know, Dodger Stadium has been host to plenty of musical acts over the decades. Just last weekend Paul McCartney headlined a sold-out gig there -- a bit of a reprise of the Beatles concert at the stadium in 1966. Other musical guest at Chavez Ravine have included Genesis, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, U2, KISS, *NSYNC, Madonna and The Rolling Stones. One artist's performance, though has become legend.

Over two nights in late October 1975 Elton John, who had just released his 10th studio album "Rock of the Westies" the day before, came to Dodger Stadium and played in front of over 100,000 adoring fans -- the largest concert ever, at the time. Best yet, he strutted out onto the outfield stage during his second set of the evening wearing a super-sparkly blinged-out Dodger uniform.

1860 CDV of the Brooklyn Atlantics at Heritage Auctions

It's not often that you see a Baseball card from the mid-19th century. Although, I guess you could argue that this isn't really a card -- at least, not the kind we are accustomed to. What this is, in actuality, is a CDV, or carte de visite -- which is just a fancy way of saying it's a vintage photograph mounted on cardboard.

The subject matter is certainly of interest to fans of the Dodgers (Heritage Auction link) and Baseball historians alike. Featured is an 1860 CDV of the famed Brooklyn Atlantics ball club. It is just one of only two known to exist, and it remains the only known pre-Civil War Baseball card in existence. The only other known copy sold in 2015 for an astounding $179,250.00, and I'd be surprised if this copy sold for less. In fact, it should sell for far more since it's clearly in better condition. To see what I mean check out that other card on the right.

Blog Kiosk: 10/17/2018 - Dodgers Links - Game 5 this Afternoon!

Everyone wants to talk about Bellinger and his fantastic diving catch and walk-off single. I would rather point out how great our bullpen has been. Last night their entire eight-man relief corp recorded eight scoreless innings, and overall they've given up only two runs in 19.2 inning pitched. That is the only reason we are still in this thing. Per Todd Zolecki at MLB.com:

"It was hard to watch everybody walk out of the bullpen and be the last one," Urias said through the team's interpreter. "But it was kind of motivating to watch everyone do their job and I was able to do mine, and when we got the run it all worked out."

On another note, I am excited by the starting staff next season that will include Walker Buehler and Julio Urias. It promises to be electric.

Pic above of Urias via Juan Ocampo/LA Dodgers 2018 at Dodger Insider. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1978 the Yankees defeated the Dodgers in Game 6 of the World Series to win their second consecutive title. In 1981 the Dodgers defeated the Montreal Expos in Game 4 of the NLCS at Olympic Stadium, 7-1. Steve Garvey hit a two-run homer in the eighth to break a 1-1 tie, then the Dodgers scored four more runs in the ninth to run away with it. They are tied at two games a piece in the series with a deciding Game 5 two days later.
• Happy Birthday, Pop Dillon, Mike Sandlock, Johnny Klippstein & Jim Gilliam!

2018 Panini & Heritage Auctions Promos from the National - The Dodgers Cards

Below is a look at the handful of Dodgers' found in promotional packs of both Panini and Heritage Auctions.

Once again, Panini had two different kind of packs available. The Silver Packs were available as a wrapper redemption during the convention. The purchase of certain Panini products at the got you a certain number of packs. They also had Gold Packs available to only their VIP Party attendees. Go here to check out a complete checklist for the silver pack redemption cards. Go here to check out a complete checklist of Gold VIP Pack cards. As has been the case of late, the checklist provided by Panini is not entirely complete, so there may be other Dodger cards not listed below that have yet to be unearthed.

Furthermore, Heritage auctions also had a group of promotional cards available. Some details are at the bottom of this post.

2018 Panini National Convention - Silver Packs

Base

#57 Clayton Kershaw
Dodgers                            Team USA

You Too Can Own the Dodgers

Are you in the market for 2,398 shares of the Dodgers franchise?

Well, I've got some good news for you. Featured is a 1948 stock certificate originally issued to Marie McKeever Mulvey for the Brooklyn National League Baseball Club. (Auction Link)

Marie, or Dearie as she was known to friends, was the daughter of construction contractor Stephen McKeever. As you may know, Stephen and his brother Ed partnered with Charles Ebbets to build Ebbets Field; taking a significant ownership stake in the process. Together with Ebbets they continued to operate the franchise until Charles Ebbets died in 1925. Then a week later Ed McKeever died from the flu after contracting a cold during Charles Ebbets funeral. Thereafter, brother Stephen became the primary operator of the club until his death in 1938.

At that point, Dearie and her husband, became an owner of the team; along with the Brooklyn Trust Company (handling the estate of Charles Ebbets). She maintained ownership in the club until her death in 1968, at which time her husband took control until he sold the family's final shares to O'Malley in 1975.  BTW, her husband was James Mulvey, who was once President of Samuel Goldwyn Productions.

Obviously, this stock certificate is no longer outstanding. So, it's just a nice memento of the past.

I do wonder, though, if I could somehow show this to the Guggenheim folks and finagle my way into the ownership box.

Do you think they'd be fooled?

Yeah, I don't think so either.

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Check Out this Vintage Dodger Pinstripes Uniform - 1933

For most folks the last thing to come to mind when thinking about the Dodgers is pinstripes, but here we are. Featured is a vintage 1933 Brooklyn Dodger uni that is currently on auction at Heritage (Heritage auction link), and as you can see it comes with something associated more closely associated with the Yankees. For those who do not know, the Dodgers wore pinstripes at various times throughout their early history -- lastly in 1936.

Blog Kiosk: 11/16/2017 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Here is another original Willard Mullin drawing I ran into while pursuing the Heritage Auction catalog. (auction link) It dates to the 1956 season and prominently features mascots for the Dodgers, Giants, Braves and Reds.

The famed Brooklyn Dodger "Bum" is seen strutting his stuff while wearing a Sal Maglie button on his lapel. At the same time the NY Giants mascot is on the bottom right screaming "Sic Transit Gloria Fifty-One." In other words, our ol' foe is lamenting the prestige lost since their glorious 1951 season that saw Bobby Thomson hit a walk-off homer to win the pennant. After all, as the cartoon says, many of the players on that Giants team have now moved on -- Maglie to the Dodgers, Thomson to the Braves and starting pitcher Larry Jansen to the Reds.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1966 Sandy Koufax missed out on winning his second MVP award by ten votes to Pirates outfielder Roberto Clemente.  As you know, this would be Koufax's last major league season. 
• Happy Birthday, Joe Strauss, Glenn Burke & Julio Lugo!

A $1 Million Jackie Robinson Jersey

I'm astounded by the recent sale values of vintage memorabilia. A Babe Ruth game jersey can sell for millions. The original rules for basketball written by James Naismith himself sold for over $4 million a few years ago. The owner of the Montreal Royals and Brooklyn Dodgers first-year contracts of Jack Robinson are expecting millions when it finally comes to bid. Above is another million dollar Robinson item that is currently available at Heritage. (auction link) Featured is Jackie Robinson's rookie jersey from the 1947 season. It is already valued at $1,250,000 with nine total bids and just five days to go.  Best yet, it comes with a letter of provenance from Mrs. Rachel Robinson:

Blog Kiosk: 8/25/2017 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Last night's win was the Dodgers 90th of the season. No Dodger club in their franchise has won 90 games this fast in their history. Per Adam Berry and Ken Gurnick at MLB.com:

"I like wins," said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. "I don't know where we were at last year, but it was toward the end of September with 90 wins. After last night's game, we showed again that we find a way to come back from a loss with a win."

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

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1979 the Hollywood Stars vs. the Media game was played at Dodger Stadium, and actor Robin Williams stole the show. He ran the bases backwards and explained that running the bases clockwise was very common on the Planet Ork (his character in the tv show Mork & Mindy). Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider shared a couple of pics of Robin at this game here. In 2012 the Dodgers completed a blockbuster trade with the Red Sox to get Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto. In 2016 the Dodgers traded AJ Ellis to the Phillies for Carlos Ruiz.
• Happy Birthday, Elmer Brown, Tom Catterson, Pea Ridge Day, George Cisar, Bob Millikin, Ralph Mauriello, Pablo Ozuna & Mike Rose!

More Dodgers Memorabilia at Heritage Auctions

A couple weeks ago I highlighted an original Norman Rockwell drawing featuring the Dodgers that is currently on auction at Heritage. With just days before the end of that sale I thought I would point to a some more Dodger memorabilia that I thought were cool.

For instance, check out the above twenty-one-pound slab of Italian white marble above. (auction link) As you likely guessed, it once resided in the Brooklyn Dodgers former home, Ebbets Field, and it's story about how it still exist is fascinating. Per the auction description:

Before a wrecking ball--painted at the whim of a dark humorist with the white hide and red stitching of a baseball--swung the more dramatic blows in wiping the Dodgers off Brooklyn's map, any contents of monetary value were salvaged. Seats were unbolted and hawked for five dollars each. Discarded bats and photos were sold at auction. And, as the exterior walls of the grandstands fell, the valuable white marble of the rotunda was carted off and repurposed in the Tri-State area's inexhaustible rush of progress.

Norman Rockwell's Original Study for "Tough Call" on Auction - His Greatest Work that Features the Dodgers

When I first saw this auction listing I was excited. Then I realized I'm no millionaire, so the best thing I can do is briefly write about it here. Featured is an original Norman Rockwell study that eventually lead to the creation of his greatest (in my opinion) work of art. It dates to 1948 and it is the precursor to Rockwell's painting named Tough Call. The original artwork permanently resides at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. (Auction Link)

I'll let the auction description tell you all about it.

The offered creation is the study for a painting that appeared upon the April 23, 1949 cover of The Saturday Evening Post, a work that now resides in the permanent collection of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Arguably the most famous of all baseball-related Rockwells, the painting is officially entitled, "Tough Call," but is known alternately as both "Game Called Because of Rain, Bottom of the Sixth" and "The Three Umpires."

Vintage Dodger Photos at Heritage Auctions

Heritage is closing up their vintage Sports Photography Auction this weekend, but before that happens I wanted to point out a couple of unique photos.

Check out those legs.

Featured is a May 5,1938 ACME press photo that doesn't provide the typical perspective we expect when thinking of a sports photo. Instead, what we see are the legs of Brooklyn Dodger first base coach Babe Ruth. (auction link) Best yet, the descriptor on the reverse is worth checking out:

A Couple of Notable Dodger Pieces at Heritage's Current Auction

I'm very late with this preview. Featured here are a couple of unique Dodger memorabilia pieces currently available at Heritage's current sports auction.

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If I had a man-cave this would be on top of my list of gets.

Some Dodgers Memorabilia at Heritage Auction

Here is another vintage sports auction from Heritage Auctions, and it includes several fantastic Dodger memorabilia items.  My favorite might be the above 1957 Brooklyn game-used road jersey of Pee Wee Reese.  (Auction Link)  This is from the Dodgers last year at Ebbets Field.

Charles M. Conlon Collection of Vintage Photo Negatives to Close this Weekend

Of all the auction listings I've seen over the years I can fairly say that this lot ranks as one of the best to ever become available.  Featured at Heritage Auctions (Auction Link Here) is the finest collection of vintage Baseball photographs (actually original glass plate negatives) to ever hit the market.  In fact, it is a treasure trove of Baseball history that is unmatched, and it would be a shame if it did not end up in the hands of an civic institution or museum.

A Duke Snider Fantasy Card on Canvas

This is gorgeous.

Painted by noted sports artist Arthur K. Miller, featured above is a Duke Snider "Card that Never Was" showing him on a 1948 Leaf Baseball card design.  It is currently on auction at Heritage (Auction Link Here).

Duke Snider had spent a few months in Brooklyn in 1947, and if the card hobby was anything like what we have today he would have an Baseball card to call his own the following year.  Heck, collectors would have had some cardboard gold to put in their album when he first signed with the franchise.  As it were, fans had to wait another year for Bowman to put him in their 1949 set.

Since Leaf missed their opportunity to include the future Hall of Famer into their set Arthur K. Miller decided to do it for them.  Now if only I had enough scratch to put this on my wall.

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A Duke Snider Report from the Trenches of the Minor Leagues

After retiring from the game in 1964 Duke Snider rejoined the Dodgers franchise as a scout and manager in the minor leagues.  Tasked with leading the Class-A Tri-City Atoms of Pasco (but playing in Kennewick), Washington in 1966, he shares his utter dismay at the state of affairs with Dodgers GM Buzzie Bavasi in an letter featured in this post.  It is currently for sale through Heritage Auction.

In the letter Duke sends along his thoughts about a couple high-flying prospects he has and provides a report on the happenings at the clubs Class-AAA team in Spokane.

A 1932 Brooklyn Dodgers Jacket at Heritage Auctions

Holy Moly.

This is fantastic.

Heritage Auctions has various preview images up for their upcoming Platinum February auction and it includes this rare circa 1932 Brooklyn Dodgers warm-up jacket said to have once been owned by All-Star outfielder Lefty O'Doul.  Per the auction description:

Extraordinarily rare garment is a white whale for the advanced Dodgers collector, as the team wore this rather staid version of the logo letter "B" on its uniforms only two seasons--1931-32--otherwise favoring the familiar Old English style that held sway throughout the bulk of their Ebbets Field residency. Our consignor reports that he acquired the jacket from "Jersey Joe" Stripp, a third baseman who represented the Dodgers for the bulk of his eleven Major League seasons. Stripp reported that O'Doul left the jacket with him at the conclusion of a shared fishing trip following the 1932 season.

Unfortunately, the jacket is far from being in great condition.  It is missing the leather sleeves, interior lining and a manufacturer's label.  Also missing is any actual physical attributions linking it to O'Doul.  Therefore, clear provenance is lacking.  Still, it's a rare example of a highly desirable style.  You rarely see the red, white and blue colors of the old Brooklyn team.

As for Lefty O'Doul, the California native spent much of his career playing ball in the Pacific Coast League, but eventually took his skills to the Majors with five different clubs over an eleven year career.  In three season with Brooklyn he slashed an amazing .340/.399/.505/.904 while coming in third place in MPV voting for his exploits during the 1932 season.  O'Doul batted a league leading .368 while hitting 21 home runs and driving in 90 runs that year.

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