Card of the Week: Viva Fernando

For this weeks installment of the "Card of the Week" I bring us back to our Dodger roots. Above we have Fernando Valenzuela's 1991 Upper Deck card.

Upper Deck had been masterful in its inclusion of multiple exposures on cards. So, it shouldn't be a surprise that this card is perfect. After all, it shows us the windup that so many of us grew up on. Valenzuela goes from raising his arms and taking his eye off the plate to stare into the sky. He comes back down and winds his arm back ready to deliver the pitch. Ferdie has the look of determination as he unwinds and heaves a screwball that easily fools the batter. Man, I loved it when Valenzuela pitched.

Another nice thing about this card is the reverse as it shows Fernando signing some autographs for the Dodger faithful. In fact, I remember reading that issue of Sport Illustrated as a kid.

Blog Kiosk: 6/14/2009

Beckett, please stop harassing bloggers. It's unbecoming.

• Hey! That Haiku ain't funny Gaslamp Ball.
• Night Owl Cards apologizes to former Dodger Bruce Ellingsen.
  
• Remember! Free parking for this coming Interleague Series match-up between the Dodgers and A's. On June 16, 17 & 18 parking is free at Dodgertown. Save $15.00.

  “This gesture is our latest initiative to help ensure that all of our fans can enjoy our National Pastime at Dodger Stadium,” said Dodger CEO Jamie McCourt , who helped create the Commissioner’s Fan Initiative at the beginning of this season. “With the conclusion of the school year, we want to make it even easier for families to spend their summer evenings with us.”

• This man deserves a card. Topps gives us a look at an insert card in their upcoming American Heritage American Heroes Set of subway life-saver Wesley Autrey. If you don't recall his heroics read about it here. (Hat Tip: Beckett Blog)
• Check out this new Dodger blog called "It's time for Dodgers Baseblog."
  
• I find myself eagerly awaiting GCRL's completion of the 1978 Topps Dodger autograph project. He just recently received a signed card from Vic Davalillo and Lee Lacy.
  
• Roberto at Vin Scully Is My Homeboy has the music for the Dodgers while coming up to the plate or coming in to pitch.
  
• Angels release Nick Adenhart Commemorative Patch. Proceeds will be distributed by the Angels Baseball Foundation to local charities. (Hat Tip: 6-4-2)
  
• "Season of the 'stache" Titans success this season sits under their noses.

  Then we had our infamous team meeting and straightened everything out and realized that Kanye is right, "N-n-now that that don't kill me, can only make me stronger". Oddly enough the USC game ended our April showers and turned the page into Mustache May where we came out and started playing like the Titans can, laying the smacketh down on anyone who stepped into our path.

• Interested in bidding on the wrecking ball that tore down Shea Stadium? Yhea, me neither. (Hat Tip: Deadspin)
  
• I'm loving KingsCast.
  

Video Link: KingsCast:

• Here is a song by Todd Snider about Doc Ellis's LSD fueled no-hitter in San Diego.

Hat Tip: Big League Stew:

Lelands: Dodger Rarities

Lelands has their June auction running and they, once again, do not disappoint. Below are some interesting and rare items I felt were worth sharing.

No doubt a one-of-a-kind item, Lelands is auctioning the 1915 deed to the land that Ebbets Field sat on. This document memorializes the sale of the land in Brooklyn and includes a full signature of Charles Ebbets.

Auction Link: Ebbetts Field Deed:

These next two items have to be the top prizes of this auction. After all, you can't beat a game-used hat and bat of the great Jackie Robinson.

Here is a cap worn by Robinson during a reunion game in the early 1960's.

Auction Link: Jackie Robinson Game Used Hat:

Here is game-used bat that came from the personal archives of the Robinson family. In fact, it was originally consigned in the late 1980's by Rachel Robinson to Lelands and eventually sold to the current owner.

The bat is a Hillerich & Bradsby R115 Signature Model. It is 35" in length and weighs 35.1 ounces. It is uncracked with moderate use. A small chip on knob has been repaired. There are ball marks on the right, left and back barrel. There is beautifully crude number "42" on the knob in vintage black paint over the R115 model number stamped into the knob. Overall the bat shows excellent player use characteristics. The labeling dates it from 1955-56 the year of his World Championship. It is likely Jackie brought it home after an "exceptional" moment such as winning a World Championship! We can recall Rachel Robinson only ever having two game used Jackie Robinson bats other than World Series and All Star bats, which traditionally were not used. That makes this one of only two pure gamers with direct ties to Jackie's own collection.

Wow. It's already up to almost $28,000.00. See the auction here.

Auction Link: Jackie Robinson Game Used Bat:

The 1947 Bond Bread Jackie Robinson set is without question the greatest set put out in the 1940's. Say what you will about Play Ball's, Wheaties, Double Play's, Leaf's, etc. I believe this set had all you needed. There are 13 cards in all and it only features Jackie. They are scarce and, considering they came out the same year Jackie broke the color barrier, are all rookie cards. This lot is one short of a complete set. I have one of these cards in my collection (the top center card), but it's nowhere near as nice as the one here.

Auction Link: 1947 Bond Bread Robinson Partial Set of 12/13:

Greatest Game Thread Ever!

I was just over at an enemy blog site, Gaslamp Ball, and read through their game thread for tonight. You gotta check it out. They started off by writing in Haiku until they got their first hit.

Dodgers Pick Aaron Miller from Baylor University

(Pic Link: BU)

The Dodger lone pic in the first round at #36 is Aaron Miller from Baylor University. He is a tall 6' 3" left-hander. He could be a pitcher or a position player, but is most likely headed for the mound.

“It’s been pretty much 29 to 1 in terms of teams wanting me as a pitcher rather than a hitter,” Miller said. “There’s still one team out there holding strong that really likes me as a hitter. But the general feeling among most teams seems to want to try me out on the mound, and that’s fine. I’ve always loved both, but as a pitcher, I probably have the best chance and the quickest road to the majors.”

He also looks forward to being on a National League club.

“It will be a weird thing whichever one (hitting or pitching) I end up doing, not doing the other,” he said. “I’ve always done both growing up. My freshman year (at Baylor), I didn’t really pitch, but I always still considered myself a pitcher. So that’ll be weird. ... But I do think there are some teams in the National League who really seem interested in the fact that I’m capable of swinging the bat, since that would give them nine guys in the lineup who could swing it rather than eight.”

Go to the article on the Waco-Tribune Herald for the rest of this excellent article on this future Dodger. Here is the BU page for Miller here.

UPDATE: Dodger scouting guru Logan White had this to say.

“Aaron is a physical athlete who has had a limited amount of time on the mound,” said White. “With the help of our player development staff, we see a bright future for him as a left-handed pitcher in the Erik Bedard mold. He is a terrific competitor and a first-class person with great makeup.”

eBay: Never Seen This Before

eBay truly is a giant flea market of unusual and strange stuff. Over the weekend I came across this auction that had me a bit bewildered and thankful at the same time. After all, you don't often find a set of 27 newspaper cut-outs like this selling for this much. At the same time, though, what's the chance you'll ever see this set again. Heck, I'd be surprised if single copies popped up at all. You may find them in a scrapbook, but how often do those show up?

Below are 27 newspaper cut-outs from the LA Examiner featuring the Los Angeles Dodgers. They were printed on consecutive days from March 26, 1960 to April 22, 1960 and are neatly cut outside the dotted lines. All of the greats are represented- Koufax, Drysdale, Snider, Hodges and Podres. Really, too many to name. As of this writing it is already up to $34.00. UPDATE: This item sold for an amazing $155.00.

eBay Auction Link: 1960 LA Examiner Dodger Newspaper Set:

For the sake of posterity I've decided to post all of the pics from the auction so you can enjoy the biographies. Click on any of the picks to enlarge.

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(Click any pic to enlarge)