Vintage Southland Pics

The greatest thing about having this blog is that every once in awhile I run into someone with a great collection that they want to share. Recently, I was contacted by Richard who is an avid collector of vintage photos and slides of the Los Angeles area. He has been kind enough to share some of his Baseball related pics with all of us.

Hopefully over the next few days I'll be able to post more photos, but for now, we'll start with a Coliseum teaser, a Wrigley pic and vintage shots of Anaheim Stadium. I know, I know! Anaheim Pics? I know those photos might disappoint the Dodger fan in all of us, but, from my perspective, I am fascinated by how much things have changed. Check out the pics below. The outfield area is bare without any seating- no bleachers to be found. The freeway backdrop we have come to expect is not there and the classic "Big A" sign is in its original spot. You can't tell me your not fascinated. Anyway, let's start with the photo parade.

Below is a pic from the 1958 season. This was the Dodgers first year at the LA Memorial Coliseum.
Below is a photo of a stadium long forgotten. It is of Wrigley Field that was once located on the corners of Avalon Boulevard and 41st Street in South Los Angeles. The old PCL team Los Angeles Angels (and Hollywood Stars) played here, as well as, the California Angels in 1961 when they became a MLB expansion team. It was eventually torn down in the mid-'60's. The photo below features the New York Yankees during a exhibition game at Wrigley Field. Also, Richard tells me that the homes in the background are still there today.
Below is a collection of four photos featuring a vintage Anaheim Stadium- The Big A. Above is from April 1966. Richard doesn't say exactly, but I suspect this photo is from the "Grand Opening" of Anaheim Stadium on April 19, 1966. After all, what other day would you have a parade of people on the field like that? (I stand corrected. Opening day was against the White Sox and the game below and above is against the Twins. Most likely from Friday April 22, 1966.) (Rob from 6-4-2 comments that it is actually from the following day, Saturday, April 23, 1966.) Below is from the same day during the game against the Twins.

Happy Memorial Day

Weekly Blog Kiosk 5/25/2008

Let's win one for the kid.

• Check out this bat twirling bear. Video here. (Hat Tip: ShysterBall)
• This is the best stadium give-away ever. The Saint Paul Saints will be giving away a limited edition "Bobble-Feet" at today's game featuring one of the funniest stories to come out of Minnesota last year. Senator Larry Craig will be forever enshrined in Baseball lore.

  A Saints press release notes that, "It doesn't matter if your tapping style is done with a 'wide stance.'"

  (Hat Tip: Atrios) Update: The Larry Craig bobblefeets are already selling for big bucks on eBay.
  
• Terry Tiffee instead of Andy LaRoche? Rob of 6-4-2 says it ain't right. On the other hand, MSTI takes credit for starting a Free Terry Tiffee campaign.
  
• Erin of Beantown West was in Chicago to take in a White Sox game and ran into Carlton Fisk Night.
• Just when you've heard everything. A minor leaguer was traded for a bunch of bats.

  For now, Odom is headed to the Laredo Broncos of the United League. They got him Tuesday from the Calgary Vipers of the Golden Baseball League for a most unlikely price: 10 Prairie Sticks Maple Bats, double-dipped black, 34-inch, C243 style.

  (Hat Tip: Baseball Card Blog)
  
• Orel talks poker and Baseball.

  A lot of the skills are transferable; the preparation, the ability to control your emotions, the ability to understand when the moment is, the ability not to make a snap decision, the ability to understand limping or pitching around a guy, and the ability to fold and intentionally walk somebody. Going after a guy because that is the only thing you can do, because runners are at second and third and you only have a one-run lead, and the blinds are up to 4,000 and you only have 16,000 in chips; you know, I’ve got to go with my best pitch, I’ve got to all in — those kind of comparisons.

  (Hat Tip: Dodgerfan)
• Just another gimmick card. Topps Bowman has a new insert set featuring autographed cards of 20 Major League scouts, including a mystery scout who would rather remain anonymous.

Thank You Piazza

I loved Mike Piazza. He was one of my favorite Dodgers in the 90's. As I am sure you've all already heard Mike Piazza has decided to hang it up. He is officially retiring from Baseball. The only question that remains is what cap will he be wearing at Cooperstown. TCPalm write Ray McNulty suggest that he forever belongs in Dodger Blue.

It's too easy to forget, because it now seems like so long ago, that Piazza was a Hollywood star, as much an LA sports celebrity as anyone who played for the Lakers. He was the biggest name on the Dodgers' marquee — at a time when the Dodgers still were as big in LA as the Yankees are in New York.

He enjoyed it. He embraced it. He never wanted to leave it.

And it was wrong that he was forced to go.

I say this as someone who covered both the Mets and the Dodgers in the 1990s, as someone who covered Piazza on a daily basis in LA and enjoyed an amicable working relationship with him:

He never should've been a Met, never should've had that chance.

Piazza should've been a Dodger for life.

....

And for all he did as a Dodger, he should go in — to the Hall of Fame — wearing a cap with an "LA" logo.

I fully concur. It pains me every time I think about that trade to Florida and it hurts even more that he might be going into the Hall of Fame with another cap on his head.

Vintage Dodger Photos

Every sports collector has their own niche. Some folks like modern cards with its thick card-stock and shiny gloss or vintage cards of players we read about in books. Others, however, prefer memorabilia like bats (such as Dodger collector Mark in Washington who I interviewed a few weeks ago here), pennants or autographs.

The most unusual type of collectible to recently become popular are vintage Baseball snapshots taken by everyday regular fans. This is a niche collector Dan Bretta enjoys. Check out his photoalbum here featuring Dodger snapshots from 1937 to 1941. Below is a photo from Spring Training in Florida in 1937.
As I was going through his online album I came across numerous photos featuring a Peterman and Claassen. (See the pic above) Who are those guys? I searched various databases and could not find any reference to players with those names being connected to the Dodgers or Baseball. Sure, I know who Manush is. That's Heinie Manush the Hall of Famer who had his last great year with the Dodgers in 1937. To the right in the picture above is Luke Hamlin who played in Brooklyn for five years- winning a career high 20 games for the Dodgers in 1939. The mystery still remains though. Who are Peterman and Claassen? Well, Dan helpfully put up a snippet of a news article that solves it all. Check it out below.
Wow. How great is that? Peterman and most likely Claassen are hardcore fans. They were able to follow the team to Florida (or Cuba as some of the pics suggest) to hang out and work out with the team. How great would it be to be able to do that.

Hat Tip: VBCF:

DeWitt is the Toast of LA and Sikeston, MO.

Blake DeWitt has been a great surprise this season. So much so that he is featured in two of LA's papers today. Check out the LA Times story and Press-Telegram story for some background about his small town roots.

UPDATE: I missed this one. Diamond Leung of the Press Telegram also has a Blake DeWitt story out today.