Blog Kiosk: 6/4/2016 - Dodgers Links - Seager! Seager! Seager!

What a night.  Corey Seager was a one man wrecking machine.  He blasted three home runs to lead the Dodgers to a 4-2 victory, and even received his first curtain call of his career.  Per Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider:

“That’s fun, that put a smile on my face,” Seager said of the atmosphere in the dugout after he hit home run No. 3 — a liner over the short fence in left field off Atlanta reliever Hunter Cervenka. “That’s something you really enjoy and soak in.”

His homers marks the first time a Dodger rookie has hit three dingers in one game since Don Demeter in 1959.

The above pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2016.  Go here to check out more pics by Jon from yesterdays game.  Below are more links to check:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1964 Sandy Koufax would throw his third career no-hitter against the Phillies.  In 1968 Don Drysdale threw his sixth consecutive shutout of the season.  His scoreless streak was extended to 54 innings.  This is also the day Robert Kennedy made note of Drysdale's efforts in a speech at the Ambassador Hotel after winning the CA primary.  Soon thereafter, he would be assassinated.  In 1972 the Dodgers retired Roy Campanella's number - #39.  In 1998 the Dodgers traded Hideo Nomo to the Mets for Dave Mlicki and Greg McMichael.  Ugh! 

Dodgers Blog Kiosk:1/18/2013 - Check Out Pope John Paul II in the Batting Cage!

Check out a pic tweeted by @Dodgers of Don Zimmer, Duke Snider, Carl Erskine and Walt Moryn in Vero Beach in the 50's.

• 7 current Dodgers are playing in the World Baseball Classic, via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com.
• Emma at Dodger Blue World continues with her biographies of every living Brooklyn Dodger with Lee Pfund.
• Scott Andes at Lasorda's Lair makes 19 predictions about the Dodgers.
• Tomorrow afternoon is the official banner raising game for the LA Kings.  There are some pre-game activities planned, so for information go here.  Also, both Marcel Dionne and Daryl Evans will be on-hand to meet and sign autographs for fans before the game.

(twitter link)

• Christopher Jackson at Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness writes of the lack of shortstop depth in the Dodgers minor league system.
• Craig Muder at Cooperstown Chatter tells of the 1970 exhibition all-star Baseball game played in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
• This is the best Baseball video I've seen all year.  Watch Pope John Paul II taking in some batting practice.  Really, he gets in the cage and takes some swings.  Apparently, he had played on a Vatican softball team.  (Hat Tip: thecolorblew on reddit)  The best comment I saw on youtube said this:

Nothing makes me feel less athletic/coordinated than realizing even a Polish man in his 70s is more comfortable in a batting cage than me.

PS.  I am now unsure if this actually him or a clever hoax.

Video Link:

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Dodger Correspondence: Lee Pfund

If you are a college basketball fan then you may know the name of Lee Pfund. From 1951 to 1975 he coached the basketball team at Wheaton College. Over those years he won five College Conference of Illinois (CCI) championships, captured the 1956-57 Small College National Championship and had a lifetime 362-240 (.601) record. Prior to his career as a coach, though, he played pro ball for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1945.

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He wrote the following.

I spent 8 seasons in professional Baseball over a period of 10 years. I was a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1945. Pitched in 15 games (10 starts) before injury to my right knee ended my career there. It happened in the Red Cross Benefit game played in Wash. D.C. vs. the Senators. That year was the only year there had been no All-Star game scheduled since 1933. I was the starter and got hurt in the 2nd inning while fielding a swinging bunt on a wet field.

Since 1949 til 1975 I coached Baseball and basketball at Wheaton College in Illinois. I resigned from coaching that year to become the Executive Director of the schools Alumni Association. I have just retired as of December 31, 1987.

I have a keen interest in footbal, basketball, Baseball and golf. We have three sons. One with Bank of America in Calif., one in a men's clothing business in Wheaton and the youngest an assistant coach with the LA Lakers.

Keep well, enjoy the game and read the bible regularly.

Cordially,

Lee Pfund

His youngest Son, Randy Pfund, is currently the GM of the Miami Heat. Also, an important note is that when he played for the Dodgers he pitched with a "no Sunday" contract.

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eBay Auction Link: Lee Pfund Letter: