A Koufax Tropicana Hotel Postcard - Sandy in a Dodger Uniform

Many moons back I briefly wrote about an oddball postcard I had run into. It is from the famous Tropicana Hotel on Santa Monica Boulevard, and it prominently featured Dodger legend Sandy Koufax. Check out that original post here (I wrote a bit about the hotels fun and sordid past).

As you'll recall, Sandy had purchased the facility in the early 60's, and wisely sought to cash in on his fame and popularity by using himself as an promotional tools. As a result, they issued various postcards splattered with either his name and/or face.

At the time, I was only aware of a casually dressed Koufax in these postcards (see that on the right), but now I realize a postcard exist with him in Dodger Blue -- albeit, with a poorly drawn-on Dodger uni. You can see that postcard at the very top of this post.

Blog Kiosk: 10/26/2016 - Dodgers Links - Kershaw on a Plane, Urias, Utley and Garvey

Above is an fantastic 1910's advertising poster for Fatima Turkish brand Cigarettes that features action photos from an opening series match-up between the Brooklyn Superbas (Dodgers) and New York Giants.  It is currently on auction at Mile High Card Company.  (Auction Link)

Unfortunately, the poster mainly points out popular Giants players like Fred Snodgrass, George Burns and Fred Merkle.  So it's likely this ad was prominently displayed in neighborhoods loyal to that team.  Nevertheless, it's a unique piece that includes several rare photographs.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History:  In 1950 Walter O'Malley became the ninth president and chief stockholder in the Dodgers franchise.  Following the death of team owner John L. Smith (who owned one-quarter of the club) O'Malley navigated a deal where he bought Branch Rickey's share of the club and essentially became a trustee over the Smith family portion to take over majority control.
• Happy Birthday: Dan Coulombe!

Roy Campanella as a Saint Paul Saints

I've seen Campy in a Brooklyn, Montreal and various other Negro League uniforms, but this is the first time I've seen him wearing the uniform of the American Association Saint Paul Saints. 

Featured above is an 1948 St. Paul Pioneer Press photograph of Hall of Fame catcher Roy Campanella, and it is currently on auction at Mile High Card Company (Link Here).  According to the listing it was printed in the St. Paul Pioneer Press that year when word got around that Campy had been promoted to Brooklyn. 

As you may know, Campanella started the year on the Dodgers in 1948, but was soon sent to Saint Paul.  While there he was reunited with his Nashua manager Walter Alston.

Blog Kiosk: 4/13/2016 - Dodgers Links - First Glove, Raised "LA" Logo and Vin Scully

It doesn't get much better than this.

Yesterday's Opening Day was all about celebrating Vin Scully and the many years he sat behind the mic to call games.  Players and personnel from his entire career came out to greet and honor him, and it was clear to see how touched the man of the hour was.  It was quite a sight to see, and I'm sure the moment will be remembered by everyone in attendance.

In the middle of all the pomp and circumstance was probably the best selfie ever taken.  Check it out above.  From L to R: Kershaw (walking away), Newcombe, Valenzuela, Downing, Hershiser (holding camera), Russell, Cey, Magic, Wills, Koufax, Vin, Garvey, Lasorda, Monday.  Pic at the very top via Dodgers on twitter.

As for the game, it was a stinker.  The Dodger got off to an early lead, and Kenta Maeda was crafty in his six inning of scoreless pitching.  Unfortunately, the Dodgers bullpen was not up to the task.  They gave up four runs to lose the game.  Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider:

“It’s a long season, and there are going to be ups and downs and guys are gonna struggle. … Right now, these guys aren’t throwing the ball as well as they’d like to or we’d like ’em to. But they’d be the first to say that.”
...
“Right now, you want to give these guys confidence and give them opportunities,” he said. “I expect to be ahead in a lot of games late, and we’re gonna need ’em, if we want to have a great season. So for me, it’s way too early to think about changing the roles.

“You’re seeing certain pitches that aren’t being executed, and over a certain time if that continues, then you’ve got to kind of entertain (changes), but right now, we’re just way too early.”

Check out a bunch of great photos from the game by Jon SooHoo here.  Below are more links to check out:

• Wow!  Via Paul Lukas at ESPN, "Uni Watch: L.A. Dodgers display new 3-D look on batting helmet."

Check out this Great Willard Mullin Brooklyn "Bum" Drawing at Hile High

Willard Mullin is one of my favorite all-time favorite sports artist, so whenever I run across some of his work I just can't help but share it here.  For instance, Mile High Card Co's current August 2014 auction includes an original drawing of Mullin's Brookyn Dodger "Bum" leaning over a bewildered gentleman who represents the Cardinals.  It is titled "the Diagnostician."  See it above, and check out the auction here.

This particular drawing appeared in the June 28, 1950 edition of the Sporting News (which you can see below).  Click on any pic to embiggen.

At this point in the season the Dodgers and Cardinals were still battling it out in the National League.  The Dodgers were holding on to a half game lead over the Phillies and a game lead over the Cardinals.  Unfortunately, the season wouldn't finish like that.  The Phillies would go on to win the NL, but lost to the Yankees in the World Series, four straight.

(Auction Link)

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A Scarce 1958 Dodgers Bell Brand Set at MHCC Auctions

Mile High Card Company has their April 2014 auction up, and it includes a very rare near-set of 1958 Dodgers Bell Brand cards still enclosed within their original cellophane wrappers.  A total of 9 cards are a part of the auction; only missing the Johnny Podres card for completion.  See them below.

(Auction Link)

Since I find it unlikely that I'll every complete a full set of these, I thought I would share this auction with all of you.  BTW, I do have one of the cards in my collection - it's a Roy Campanella card in PSA 6 condition.

As I'm sure you know, this set is extremely scarce, and to find them still in their packaging is incredible... No, unbelievable.  Generally, 1958 Dodgers Bell Brand cards are rare in any condition.  They were inserted into packs of Bell Brand Potato Chips, so they are often found stained with chip grease or badly damaged from being in those bags.  The cards measure 3" x 4".  At the time of this posting, this auction lot is already priced over $9,000.  Wow!

(Auction Link)

Just to be complete, below is a pic of the Johnny Podres 1958 Bell Brand Baseball card, so that you can get a look at what a complete 10-card set looks like.

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MHCC: A Official Brooklyn Dodger Baseball

With the season at a close and the Dodgers looking in from the outside as the playoffs begin, I thought that this vintage Rawlings Baseball would be appropriate.  After all, it was in Brooklyn where the fans started saying, "Wait Till Next Year," and I suspect most Dodger fans are licking their chops at the prospects of some better seasons.

Featured here is a Official Brooklyn Dodgers labeled Baseball that has been stamped "Donated by Brooklyn Amateur Baseball Foundation."  This is a scarce collectible that includes its original box and is in unplayed-with condition.  It recently sold in a Mile High Card Company auction this week at $127.33.

(Auction Link)

(Auction Link)

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MHCC Auctions: Jackie and Joe

I don't often feature items from Mile High Card Company Auctions, but this time around I couldn't help myself.  There are a couple of items that really stuck out to me, and I felt I would be remiss if I didn't point them out.

If you haven't seen "The Jackie Robinson Movie" than I gotta ask, "what's stopping ya?"  Heck, you could watch it online for free, so you really have no excuse.  Go to this link to watch it on youtube.  Anyway, following up on that check out the below vintage movie poster for the film.  It is from 1950 and is one of the more sought after sports related movie posters in the hobby.

 (Auction Link)

When I saw this I knew I had to put it up.  Here is a vintage press photo of "Shoeless" Joe Jackson (on the right) and Illinois Assistant State Attorney Hartley Reblogle during the "Black Sox" trail in 1921.  It was taken on July 21st- which happens to be my birthday.  What I love about the photograph is that little stare Joe gives.  I'm sure he's wondering what the heck is going on.  This guy to his right is trying to prosecute him, but wants a personalized photo with him?  What's up with that?  It's almost depressing because deep down you know that Joe Jackson was like a poor deer staring straight at a cars headlights. 

 (Auction Link)

Since we are on the topic of Joe Jackson, check out the below press photo taken by legendary Baseball photographer Louis Van Oeyen.  He captures Joe perfectly as he ponders his upcoming at-bat.  This pic is brilliant for its clarity and subject matter.

(Auction Link)

MHCC: Dodgers Snapshots

Do you know what's better than a fan taken photo of a legendary Dodger? How about having that star sign your photograph.

As I promised yesterday, here are a couple of great Dodgers related memorabilia items that really stuck out to me in MHCC's current auction. These are vintage photos taken by an Aunt during Spring Training jaunts to Florida in the late 40's. She would go with camera in tow, get up-close and personal pics, have them developed, then have her favorite stars sign them. That's the kind of hobby I can get behind. Below is a Jackie Robinson and Roy Campanella.

(Auction Link)

(Auction Link)

MHCC: Some Nice Vintage Stuff

Mile High Card Company is running their first premium auction of 2012 and it is filled with some very nice stuff. Here are a couple of items I thought would be fun to share. Tomorrow, I'll put up a couple of Dodger related collectibles from their auction.

You've all seen "Field of Dreams," right? Well, as you may know Archibald "Moonlight" Graham, the character who Costner helped get an at-bat against a ghostly pro, was a real player. At least, the book/movie character was based on him. Anyway, below are the good doctors real eyeglasses.

(Auction Link)

I had briefly written about Spaldings World Tour of 1888 that lead a bunch of Victorian Era ballplayers to Egypt in past. See it here. Well, apparently, there were subsequent tours of Africa (and the world) that lead to the below photograph being taken. It features members of the New York Giants and Chicago White Sox at the foot of the Sphinx in 1914.

(Auction Link)

MHCC: Dodger War Bonds Honor Card

During WWII the Dodgers were more than happy to help out with the war effort. So, with a fans contribution the Dodgers would give out the below War Bonds Honor Card. They were given out during the Dodgers Spring Offensive War Bond Campaign in 1943 which helped secure $180,000,000 for America. This amount eclipsed the spring quota by double.

On a side note, the Department of the Treasury was so impressed with the Dodgers efforts that they conducted a special ceremony at Ebbets Field one Sunday afternoon in April. Branch Rickey, a strict churchgoing man, would always refuse to see a game on the Sabbath, but for this occasion he made an exception.

This is a very nice memorabilia piece that is rarely ever seen. It just sold during the recently closed Mile High Card Company Auction at $121.38.

(Auction Link)

Drysdale Legendary Cut

Even the big auction houses sell modern day Baseball cards. Below is a 2006 Upper Deck SP Legendary Cuts card featuring autos of Hall of Famers Don Drysdale and Walter Johnson on the same card. This "1 of 1" card is on auction at Mile High Card Company.

(Auction Link)

Blue Satin Heaven

I know I've shown a game-used jersey like this before, but how can I not highlight these glow in the dark garments whenever they show up. Above and below is a satin fabric game-used Dodger jersey from 1944 once worn by manager Leo Durocher.

As the story goes, night Baseball had come to Ebbets Field and it was thought that these reflective jerseys might help spectators see the ballplayers on the field. Instead, I imagine it just embarrassed the Boys in Blue. Considering their terrible 63-91 record that year it probably gave them bad luck. They never wore them again after the 1944 season. From the current Mile high Card Company Auction.

Auction Link:

MHCC: March Auction

Mile High Card Company auction recently concluded a great auction that included some very rare cards and memorabilia.

First, I'll start off with a Dodger related card of one of the scarcest 1950's issued region sets made. Below is a 1954 Wilson Franks card of Carl Erskine. These cards are very difficult to find, especially in this condition. The card sold at a healthy price of $775.00.

Auction Link: 1954 Wilson Franks Erskine:

Now, on to something that truly boggles the mind. Mile High had the honor of auctioning off one of the rarest Topps test issues ever produced. Below is possibly the only complete master set of 1968 Topps All Star Player Plaks. Last year a huge lot of these rare plastic bust were found hidden in a small bucket inside the garage of a former Topps employee. They were discarded and forgotten about.

Acting on a phone call from a couple outside of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Brian Drent, founder and President of Mile High Card Company, recently traveled to The Topps Company's former hometown to examine what he'd been told was a pile of plastic baseball parts produced sometime in the late '60s. The owner's mother had worked at the Topps factory for a number of years and would occasionally treat the neighborhood kids to free candy and miscut cards. She also had permission to take home any of the failed test issues, as she did with an armful of Topps Plaks wax packs.

She quickly learned, however, what Topps management had already concluded, that what kids wanted most was cards and candy, that you couldn't really flip a plastic bust, and that they had no negotiable street value. So she put them in a bucket on a shelf in her garage where they sat for the next forty years.

As proof of it's scarcity it sold for an amazing $55,612.00.

Auction Link: 1968 Topps Plaks Set:

Here is a Type 1 vintage photograph of a very young Jim Thorpe.

One of the single greatest athletes of all time, Thorpe won Olympic gold medals in both the pentathlon and decathlon, excelled in football (his favorite sport) at both the collegiate and professional levels, played professional baseball and basketball, collegiate lacrosse, and even ballroom dancing, winning the 1912 intercollegiate ballroom championship. On the gridiron, he excelled in almost every position, routinely scoring all of his team's points as running back, defensive back, placekicker, and punter. His athletic career, according to legend, began in 1907 when he walked past Pop Warner's track practice and beat the team's best high jumper with a spontaneous 5'9" leap while still in his street clothes. Pop Warner immediately took his new track star under his wing, discouraging Jim from playing the comparatively violent game of football. Thorpe, however, eventually convinced Warner to let him run some plays against the team's defense, and the rest, as they say, is history.

It sold for $1,433.00.

Auction Link: Jim Thorpe 1910 Photo:

Mile High Auction: Dodgers, Ruth and Monroe

Mile High Card Company has a little auction coming up that has a couple of choice items.

It's October 1, 1955 and the Brooklyn Dodgers just beat the Yankees during game 4 of the World Series, 8-5. This win evened the series 2 to 2 so the Dodgers are feeling mighty good. They are jubilant and ready to fight on. In fact, they are so filled with spunk they show off their fist while sporting knowing grins. You see, they know they are about the reverse the trend. They know their drought will soon be over. The Dodgers will soon go on to beat the Yankees. Below is a Associated Press photo capturing the moment.

Auction Link: 1955 Dodgers World Series Photo:

Not only could Babe Ruth hit a Baseball a mile he can drive a golf ball far too. Below is a AP photo of Ruth's backswing while in Florida.

Auction Link: Ruth Golfing Press Photo:

This is my favorite item of the bunch. Marilyn Monroe was gorgeous. This United Artist press photo is incredible.

Auction Link: Marilyn Monroe Photo:

Auction Roundup: Mastro, CSA, MHCC,

Mastro auctions a timely lithograph from sports artist Bill Dawson. Produced in 1958, this drawing features the Brooklyn Dodgers "Bum" hitchhiking his way to the Dodgers new home at the Coliseum. Do you have your tickets for the upcoming March 29th game? I just got mine and I can't wait. This item sold for $150.00 and included another lithograph about the 1959 World Series.
Auction Link: Mastro:

Below is one of the rarest of all Jackie Robinson vintage collectibles, especially in this condition. This doll was created in 1950 and was sold only within the African-American community. It includes the very rare original tag and is in incredible condition. It rivals the doll I saw for sale in the famous Barry Halper collection about a decade ago. The only thing missing here is the original box. This doll sold for $890.00 earlier last month.
Auction Link: CSA:

Below is one of the rarest of all Baseball promotional items. I'll let Mile High Card Company describe it.

Presented is without question one of the rarest baseball collectibles ever issued as well as being one of the most visually appealing items to commemorate the immortal Joe Jackson. The offered collectible was issued by the George Frost Company of Boston, Massachusetts in what is widely considered to be their second offering of window store advertisements. Each of the 12 subjects from within the issue measures 4”x 8-1/4” and is printed on a thin cardboard stock displaying period lithography of the featured player... In our research we have found that there most likely is around a half dozen copies of this card known to exist.

It sold for an incredible $86,975.85.

Auction Link: MHCC:

Can you ever get enough of Babe Ruth in a Dodger uniform? Below is an original 1938 press photo from World Wide Photos that sold for $626.28.
Auction Link: MHCC: