Blog Kiosk: 11/14/2019 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Here's another fantastic spring training Dodgers' AP press photo that I an across on ebay (link here). It features Long Beach product Rocky Bridges (left) along with Dodgers cap Pee Wee Reese. It is dated February 28, 1952.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Baseball History: In 1979 the Dodgers signed free agent starting pitcher David Goltz to a six-year $3MM contract. The former eight-year Twins veteran went 9-19 with a 4.25 ERA in three season with the team before being release in 1982. In 2016 Corey Seager is named the unanimous winner of the National League Rookie of the Year award.
• Happy Birthday, Harry Howell, Red Sheridan, Jim Brewer & Tim Hamulak!

Vintage Dodgers Newsletter - Dodgers Line Drives - May 1951, Vol. 10, #12

I like the title of this newsletter.  It states in bold letters, "Experts Predict Pennant for Dodgers", and it highlights the opinions of several members of the traveling press corps.  As we know know, unfortunately, the Dodgers fell short of that goal.  Their season ended when Bobby Thompson walloped an walk-off homer off of Ralph Branca during a final three-game series to decide the pennant. 

As for the rest of the newsletter (click on any pic to embiggen), it features the following:

• Four Dodger youngsters are noted as potentially being high-impact players for the club.  They are starting pitcher Clyde King, third baseman Rocky Bridges, outfielder Hank Edwards and outfielder Don Thompson.
• They also announce a brand new post game show for Dodgers broadcast hosted by Happy Felton.  At the time, Felton was already hosting a pregame show called the "Knothole Gang" that featured kids working out and practicing with Dodger players.  This new show would be broadcast after each home game and be titled, "Talk to the Stars".  Fans would call in to ask direct questions to two Dodger players.

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Blog Kiosk: 2/4/2015 - Dodger Links - Moncada, Bridges and Ryu

Adrian Gonzalez, Yasiel Puig and Kenley Jansen are captured in the midst of their running drills in preparation for Spring Training in the photo above.  Pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2015.  Go here to check out more pics of his from yesterday.

Below are some more links to check out:

• Let the Yoan Moncada sweepstakes begin!  Via Jeff Todd at MLB Trade Rumors, "With MLB Rule Change, Yoan Moncada Cleared To Sign."  As you may know, the Dodgers are rumored to be chasing after him.

There's palpable tension in the air as Dodger fans wonder, "will they sign another Cuban high-flyer?"  Moncada is thought to be the best unsigned prospect in the game and only a year (or two) away from making an impact at the big league level.

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "With no guarantees, Pederson ready for challenge."

"I'm just going to work hard and go about my business and whatever happens, happens," he said. "Nobody plays that well when they are trying to prove something. Just be yourself."

• Jeff Jaffe at The Futility Infielder writes a fantastic tribute story on Rocky Bridges, here.

When Don Zimmer passed away last June after 66 years in baseball, I called him the ultimate futility infielder. Allow me to amend that, for Rocky Bridges, who died last week at the age of 87, was every bit as worthy of that title, and every bit as much an inspiration for this site. The secret of futility infielders is their ability to thrive despite their shortcomings in talent, thanks to persistence, flexibility and a command of fundamentals that go well beyond the playing field. They’re the laces that hold the leather together, the very soul of baseball.

• Via Jae-Ho Kim at MK Sports, Hyun-Jin Ryu pitched his first bullpen session of 2015 in Arizona yesterday.  He is working out with the Korea LG Twins at Camelback Ranch, threw 30 pitches and remarked "too easy."  In other words, he felt really good after throwing for the first time this year.
• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Dodgers in 2015 Caribbean Series."  One of the newest Dodgers, Kike Hernandez, had a great day at the plate yesterday for Team Puerto Rico.

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Blog Kiosk: 2/2/2015 - Dodger Links - Rocky Bridges, Joe Wieland and Yasmani Grandal

To conclude the Dodgers Community Caravan last week the Dodgers visited City Hall on Friday and met with a group of combat-injured service members and the Wounded Warriors Project for lunch.  Photo above via Juan Ocampo/LA Dodgers 2015.  Go here to check out more photos from the event.

Below are some more links to check out:

• RIP, Rocky Bridges.  Mark Langill at Dodger Insider passes along the sad news that former Brooklyn Dodger Rocky Bridges has died.  Check out his story about him here.
• ICYMI: The two assailants who attacked Bryan Stow at Dodger Stadium in 2011 have just plead guilty to additional federal gun possession charges, via an AP report at ESPN.  They were already in state prison for attacking Stow and now face time in federal prison.  In other words, they are doing everything possible to make sure they never get released.
• Via Miles Wray at FanGraphs, "Which MLB Teams are Blazing New Trails in Scouting?"  As you would expect, the Dodgers are at the top of the list.
• Via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider, "A healthy Joe Wieland is eager to move forward with the Dodgers."

“I’m gonna go into camp and just show ‘em what I have, and I’ll let them make the decision,” he said. “I’m 100 percent ready to go, and I’m gonna do all I can to make it a hard decision on them.”

• BTW, the Dodgers new marketing slogan for the 2015 season is "We Love LA."

“Since 1958, the fans of Southern California have had a love affair with the Dodgers, our broadcasters and Dodger Stadium, and the feeling has been mutual,” said Dodgers’ Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Lon Rosen.  “What better way to express our admiration to our fans for their overwhelming support than with this year’s slogan, `We Love LA’” 

• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Gabe Kapler's favorite player: A.J. Ellis."

"That's why he stands out to me. He does a great job providing a platform for his teammates to be heard and appreciated. A.J. checks all of those boxes, and that's why he's my favorite player."

• Via Mark Saxon at ESPNLosAngeles.com, "Yasmani Grandal ready to make his mark with Dodgers."

“No pressure at all,” Grandal said. “I want to keep doing the same thing I was doing in San Diego and try to help this team win. They say they needed a catcher. Hopefully, me and A.J. [Ellis] can take this team to a World Series. I think both teams got what they wanted.” 

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A Rocky Bridges Autographed Card for my Collection

Rocky Bridges was a local kid who signed with the Dodgers out of Polytechnic High School in Long Beach.  He rose through the Brooklyn ranks until he got his chance with the Dodgers in 1951.  From then on, he bounced around the league; playing for 7 different franchises over a 11-year Major League career.

After his playing days, Bridges managed in the minors and coached in the Big Leagues.  He was highly regarded for his enthusiasm for the game.  As stated by Jim Bouton (in a story written by Jerry Crowe in the LA Times):

"In fact, I've never even met him," Bouton wrote in his 1973 collection of short stories, "I Managed Good, But Boy Did They Play Bad," which took its title from a Bridges quote. "However, I've spent a good piece of my life sitting in bullpens around the country listening to different ballplayers talk about how much fun it was when they played for Rocky Bridges. …

"The reason Bridges was a great manager was that he understood that baseball is supposed to be mainly fun."

The card featured in this post is a 2011 Topps Lineage certified autographed card of Brooklyn Dodger Rocky Bridges.

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Some Vintage Brooklyn Dodgers Fan Snapshots Found on eBay

Following up on yesterdays post featuring an eBay vintage doll find, I now share a grouping of vintage fan-taken photographic snapshots of some Brooklyn Dodgers.  Check them out below.

This photo below is dated by the seller as being from 1951, and was taken during Spring Training.  Featured in this one-of-a-kind photo is Rocky Bridges.  He played high school ball in Long Beach and was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1947.  He rose through the ranks and eventually played two seasons with the Dodgers before being traded to the Reds in 1953.  Bridges would go on to have a 11-year Major League career.

(eBay Auction Link)

Here is a fan snapshot of first baseman Dee Fondy.  The seller labels it as being Buddy Hicks, but based on some photos I've seen online I am certain that is not the case.  Heck, I think the seller inadvertently mixed up the names as they have another photo (as seen at the very bottom) that is of Buddy.  Anyway, Dee Fondy went to high school in San Bernardino and was singed as an amateur in 1946.  He never played for the Dodgers, but would eventually get his chance to shine as a member of the Cubs in 1951.  Fondy would go on to have a productive 8-year Major League career.

BTW, the seller claims that the photo is from 1951, but that doesn't seem likely.  He was traded by the Dodgers along with future actor Chuck Conners to the Cubs in October of 1950.  So, at the latest the photo is from the Spring of 1950.

(eBay Auction Link)

This is the last fan-taken snapshot on eBay.  Like the photo above, the seller mixed up the names.  I am certain the photo below is actually infielder Buddy Hicks.  He never played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, but was originally signed by them in 1944. He would eventually be sold to the Phillies in October of 1950; which lends credence to my theory that these photos have to be from 1950, or earlier. 

Buddy would finally get a taste of the big leagues in 1956 with the Detroit Tigers.  He would only get into 26 games.  Hicks would later on be a Minor League manager for both the Braves and Senators in the 1960's.

(eBay Auction Link)

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