Blog Kiosk: 2/1/2009

The Game I Love

The days I miss of the game I love,
early Spring, my Mazeroski glove,

-John McCluskey (read the rest of the poem here)

• A Must Have for Any Dodger Fan! Jon Weisman, proprietor of the Dodger Thoughts blog, has just written a book that should be coming out soon. It is called "100 Things Dodgers Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die."
• On Saturday, February 7th check out these Baseball themed fundraisers to benefit the surviving members of the Ortega Family- they were involved in the Christmas Eve slayings in Covina. It includes a Baseball camp in Ontario and a University of La Verne alumni game in Upland.
  
• Tommy Lasorda has had a very busy Winter. Check out his blog to read all about it.
  
• Dinged Corners discovers the Dodgers 100th Anniversary Baseball card set from 1990 that was made by Target. I've been meaning to get this set for years, but, for whatever reason, have never gotten it. It consist of 1144 cards and features every player to ever wear a Dodger uniform.
• The father of Reflections of Blue reminisces about the early days of the Dodgers in Los Angeles. Go check out his vintage fan pictures from Fan Appreciation Day.
  
• Both Upper Deck and Topps lose their license to produce NBA Basketball cards. Now, Panini, an Italian company and maker of sports sticker albums, will be the lone producer of officially licensed NBA Basketball cards. This seems to be a major blow for the two American companies. Look out though, Panini may be working on making a big splash in the American collector market.
  

  The NBA have had two substantial Trading Card producers involved as their licensees over recent years but from the new 2009/10 season Panini will take worldwide responsibility for Trading Cards and Sticker Album collectibles on an Exclusive basis.

  In the USA Panini will create a program of activity which will focus attention on the NBA brand through an unprecedented Marketing Campaign which will re-create the domestic trading card market. To enable this strategy Panini is proud to announce that a new subsidiary business will be set up immediately entitled "Panini America, Inc".

• The Baseball Hall of Fame has been featuring some great items within their collection in their weekly emails. I would highly suggest getting on their mailing list. This week they tell us about a pre-Civil War homemade Baseball.

  J.J. idolized his brother and kept the baseball. He wrote on it: "This Ball was made by David Edgerton Wheeler the last one he made and used the last term of school he attended."

  Hart believes the ball was made in 1859, when David finished eighth grade in his one-room country school. It is the only artifact in Hart's collection that David made.

• The rivalry doesn't die because of snow. Taken at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. (Hat Tip:Home Run Derby)
• FBI is watching for autograph forgers.

  “The system of buying and selling over the Internet depends on trust,” said acting U.S. Attorney Laurie Magid. “This defendant abused that trust to enrich himself. Hundreds of collectors thought they were purchasing valuable books bearing the signatures of renowned authors. In reality, their appreciation for the book or the author was being exploited to satisfy one man’s greed.”

Manny Gets Another Offer

After all of the rumors, the suspected other suitor for Manny is not who you might expect. The Worchester Tornadoes of the Can Am League have made a contract offer to Manny.

The Worcester Tornadoes Professional Baseball Team has offered a contract to free agent outfielder Manny Ramirez for two years worth $24,000. The deal would pay the 12-time Major League Baseball All-Star approximately $3,000 during each month of the Can-Am Baseball Season. Unlike Major League Baseball, the Can-Am League operates with a salary cap, and the deal for Ramirez would be on par with other veterans in the league.

I guess all of the vitriol aimed at Boras for being a suspected liar has been unfair. He really is talking to another team.

Pic Link: wahleworld.com:

Tornadoes personnel express some optimism.

“I feel Manny would really enjoy playing in Worcester and hitting in our ballpark. Although I would be concerned about the cars traveling on I-290 during his at bats, it’s a risk worth taking,” said General Manager, Jorg Bassiacos. Director of Player Personnel Brad Michals added, "Manny certainly has the stats to be amongst the leaders of the league next season. Although issues regarding health have surrounded him in the past, I think he will find that the shorter schedule will boost his performance to a new level and serve as the ultimate showcase for his natural skill."

Hat Tip: LA Times:

CSA Auctions: Campy, the President and the 1959 World Series

One of the smaller auction houses, Clean Sweep Auctions, just closed their most recent offering. They had a handful of unique Dodger related items.

Here is a one-of-a-kind award plaque that was present to Roy Campanella by the New York Urban League in 1975. It is very large, measuring 11 1/2 X 14 1/2 inches and originally came directly from the estate of Roy Campanella. If I'm not mistaken, this and several other awards (including his MVP award) were sold through Hunt Auctions several years ago. This plaque sold for $90.00.

Auction Link: Campanella Award:

Below is a rare signed business card of former Dodger President and part-owner Sid W. McKeever. It dates to the 1920's and sold for $134.00.

Auction Link: McKeever Business Card:

Who wouldn't want a ticket like this? Below is a phantom ticket to game 7 of the 1959 World Series between the Dodgers and White Sox that has been signed by 15 players. Now, your probably wondering, what's a phantom ticket? Well, it's a ticket to a game that was never played. In 1959 the Dodgers won the world title in 6 games, 4 games to 2, so game 7 was not necessary.

Signers on this ticket include Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Maury Wills, Al Lopez, Ray McMillan, Pee Wee Reese, Duke Snider, Charlie Neal, Early Wynn, Luis Apricio, Johnny Podres, Clem Labine and Joe Pignatano.

Auction Link: Auto'd Ticket:

Billy Harris Vintage Dodger

Pic Link: Virtual Card Trader:

Former Dodger Billy Harris is excited about being a part of Topps upcoming 2009 Heritage Baseball card set. He only had a couple cups of coffee in the big leagues, but stayed in the Dodger organization from 1951 to 1960.

"(The photo) was taken in Vero Beach, Florida -- Dodgertown," said Harris, a member of both the the New Brunswick and Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame who has lived in Tri-Cities since 1962. "What (Topps) gave me was two sets of spikes a year, three gloves a year and a set of golf clubs."

But as the hobby developed and became flooded with new product, card companies found that a higher premium was being placed on vintage sets, such as the 1960s set.

"Ten years ago, it was a big deal, but I thought (the hobby) died out. With the reprinting of these cards, it must be getting popular again," said Harris, whom Topps paid $500 to autograph the cards. "Now, I'm making more money on my cards then I did when I played."

There will be three subsets of Harris autographs in the Heritage edition. There will be 100 cards signed in blue ink and 60 special edition cards signed in red ink, both on the original design base set. A third subset -- a 25-card dual-auto set titled "Past and Present" -- will feature Harris and current Dodgers' pitching phenom Clayton Kershaw.

I don't know if putting Kershaw and Harris on the same card is the best thing in the world. I would prefer Sandy Koufax or another Dodger great. Nevertheless, it's great that even unsung and relatively unknown Dodgers from the past are getting a chance to show up on cardboard again.

Hat Tip: SCD:

Blog Kiosk: 1/25/2009

Just a few more weeks until Baseball!

• Check out Blue Notes blog post that features some videos of our young Dodgers hanging out with the Lakers. Blake Dewitt and Clayton Kershaw are ecstatic to be there.
  


• Sports analogies are popping up everywhere. Can Obama return the public trust in our government the same way Babe Ruth returned the public trust in Baseball?


• WFAA in Dallas interviews our very own Clayton Kershaw as he reminisces about his early Baseball career; including a perfect game in high school. (Hat Tip: LA Dodger Talk)

• Jose Canseco fought Danny Bonaduce.

• Forbes ranks the Top 10 Baseball cards of All-Time. (Hat Tip: SCD)
  


• The LA Times remembers LA's own Wrigley Field. (Hat Tip: Dodger Thoughts)
  


• Upper Deck will be inserting limited edition cards featuring the First Hockey Winter Classic into their 2009 Baseball packs. (Hat Tip: Stale Gum)

• In honor of Todays All-Star game below is the complete game from the 1981 All Star game in Los Angeles featuring our Triple Crown Line of Marcel Dionne, Charlie Simmer and Dave Taylor. (Hat Tip: Inside The Kings)
  

• Estranged brother of Mark McGwire is pitching a book claiming he introduced Mark to steroids.


• Remember this name, Bryce Harper. This 15 year old will be the #1 draft pick during the 2011 draft.

YouTube Link: PowerShowcase:
Hat Tip: Diamond Hoggers:

Videos: Manny, the Babe and the 1966 Pennant Race

Below is a video of Manny's first day at Dodger Stadium. I had not seen this before so it was nice to be reminded about his great season last year with the Blue Crew.

YouTube Link: preciosadesiree:

Here is a great video featuring Babe Ruth in "Fancy Curves."

YouTubeVideo: DashHopes1:
Hat Tip: Walk Off Walk:

Here are a series of great lost interviews with the 1966 Dodgers as they race towards a pennant.

YouTube Video:Footage World: