More Wrigley Field Pics

Thank goodness for Richard. I've been posting sporadically the past week or so as writers block set in. I don't know if it's the poor play of the Dodgers or the recent run by the Lakers for a lost championship, but I just haven't had much to say. Thankfully, Richard has momentarily broken my slump with a slew of vintage Southland photos. Below are some incredible pics of LA's Wrigley Field in an exhibition game featuring the New York Yankees.
What a great find. Above is Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio. He's in full gait as he slowly heads toward the dugout. Click on the pic for a closer view. Number 15, who I think is Tommy Henrich, is warming up before the game.
Above and below more Yankees are seen warming up along foul territory. The stadium grandstands are just starting to fill up.
The game has started and an unknown Yankee is up to bat. He looks very strange with his baggy uniform three sizes too large and pants pulled up beyond his belly button. I guess on the Yankees one size fits all so the small guys get to look like a vintage version of D'Ali G during games. On the other hand, maybe this is a indication of the natural evolution of sports fashion that soon is emulated by popular culture. Baggy clothes are still quite the rave, aren't they? The crowd is transfixed on the action. The catcher is crouched as if the pitch is in mid flight. I love the fact that you can see the crowd in both the background and foreground.

UPDATE: Sarsfield in the comments points out that the unknown player is Phil Rizzuto.

Russell Needs Our Help

Imagine my dismay when I saw Ken Gurnick's story about Russell Martin's bid to make the All-Star Team this year. He is currently fifth in total voting for the catcher position. How is that possible?

It is time for the Dodger faithful to stand up and show some pride. Sure, the season has not been, so far, what we had all hoped. Our team is struggling at the plate and ailing on the mound. That is no reason to slight our greatest asset. Russell Martin has done everything expected of him and then some. We need to bear down, get on our computers and vote for the man most deserving of the starting catchers gig at the All-Star Game this season in New York.

Vote now and Vote often.

Click Here To Vote.

Blog Kiosk 6/15/2008

GO ANGELS!

OK. Let me explain the above line. You see, I lost a bet and sometimes you gotta suck it up and pay off. Unfortunately, this bet didn't have money involved, but consist of some active participation. I've done this many times in my life. In high school I played the Wolverine fight song on a trombone after UofM beat USC in the Rose Bowl. Last year I wore the cheesiest Anaheim Ducks tie to work for a week after their Stanley Cup win. (That was a terribly harrowing experience than would be akin to wearing a Giants tie to Dodger fans) I never seem to learn my lesson. Now on to this weeks links.

• Be sure to check out part 2 of KPCC 89.3 broadcast documentary on the LA Dodgers here. This chapter is called "LA's Baseball Team Almost Become the Senators."
• Roberto captures some Dodgers clubbing. Check out the rest of his pictures here.
• Dodgers to trade kids?

  The Dodgers have resisted moving Kemp or any of their other top young players, but their stance might be changing. "If we get to the point where we can definitively improve ourselves, we'll do it,"

  (Hat Tip Dodgerfan)
• Another short-printed politically themed insert card in Baseball packs has popped up. This time Obama scores by stealing home as Jackie Robinson while McCain looks on. It's already selling for over $100 on eBay. (Hat Tip: Cardboard Mania)
• Jon's recap of Friday nights event featuring Vin Scully and John Wooden is excellent. Also see ToyCannon's story here. I've reprinted Swen Nater's poem as recited by John Wooden below.
  

  Yonder
  

  Once I was afraid of dying,
  Terrified of ever-lying,
  Petrified of leaving family, home and friends.
  Thoughts of absence from my dear ones,
  Drew a melancholy tear once,
  And a lonely, dreadful fear of when life ends.

  But those days are long behind me; Fear of leaving does not bind me,
  And departure does not host a single care.
  Peace does comfort as I ponder,
  A reunion in the Yonder,
  With my dearest who are waiting over there.

• The Giants desperately try to end the game early. (Hat Tip: Steve Finley Was Here)
• Yankees are not happy with David Ortiz's inclusion in an All-Star spectacle.

  The State Farm Insurance “Call Your Shot” promotion would have Ortiz, the Sox’ jovial, mildly rotund left-handed slugger, trying to hit a home run to a specified spot in the bleachers, thus mimicking (or paying homage to) Babe Ruth’s alleged called shot off Charlie Root of the Cubs in the 1932 World Series... Yankees officials are grousing about the idea of Ortiz, who routinely clobbers Bronx pitching, being the centerpiece of a promotion held in conjunction with the final All-Star Game (there have been four) at the legendary stadium.

  How funny is that? A Red Sox playing Babe Ruth!
• 1898 obscenity laced Baseball document I wrote about here and here had been called a hoax, but Olbermann finds proof showing otherwise.
• Here we go again. Griffey #600 ball ownership placed in doubt.
• Yankees fans boo the sun. (Hat Tip: Lion in oil)
  

Card of the Week: Frank Thomas

What can I say about the above card? The once surly White Sox slugger lets the photographer know what he thinks and Topps decides to put it in their 1994 Stadium Club set.

Mastro June Auction

Mastro always has some great vintage material to look through. This month's auction is no different.

Below is a fantastic rare relic featuring the Dodgers first year as a professional team, in 1884. It is a actual scorecard of an exhibition game featuring the Brooklyn Trolley-Dodgers and the Wilmington Quicksteps.

This was likely an exhibition game as the Wilmington nine were franchised with the one-year Union Association while the Brooklyns had just debuted that season in the American Association. We know that the game was played on September 20th that year, and the tilt was characterized by a total of 20 errors—grim testimony to the primitive equipment then available.

The greatest thing about scorecards is how you can literally follow the entire game by reading the card. You know what the lineup was, what happened every inning, who got the winning hit and who won the game. It's like you're able to enjoy a game that was played well over 100 years ago. Unfortunately, in this match the Dodgers lost to the Quicksteps 4 to 2.

Auction Link: 1884 Brooklyn Scorecard:

Below is an original Dick Perez watercolor painting of Dodger great Don Drysdale. The painting is made famous because of its use in the very popular Perez-Steele Hall of Fame "Art Postcard" series. Those postcards are highly desirable and rank as one of the most sought after postcard sets in the hobby. Collectors often will try to get as many of the cards autographed as possible since they display so well. In fact, I have several autographed Perez-Steele postcards in my own collection; including, Duke Snider, Yogi Berra and Ray Dandridge. They are a great set with great paintings, and this original painting is amazing. What I would do to have this hanging on my wall.

Auction Link: Perez-Steele Original Painting of Don Drysdale:

Videos: Nomo and Mr. Ed Vs. Koufax

Here are some vintage videos of Hideo Nomo and some MLB All Stars facing Kazuo Matsui and the Japanese All Stars in Japan in 1996. I don't remember this game at all.

YouTube Link: hirosea96:

Here he is against Hideki Matsui. Part 1.

YouTube Link: hirosea96:
Part 2.

YouTube Link: hirosea96:

The Faux Show LA takes in a Dodger game.

YouTube Link: thefauxshowla:

You gotta check this out. Mr. Ed hits a homerun against Sandy Koufax.

YouTube Link: georgecf: