Dodgers Blog Kiosk: 8/8/2012 - Vin Scully's 1st Autographed Insert Baseball Card!!!!

This is the MUST-HAVE card of the century.  Panini America is releasing a Vin Scully autographed card in their 2012 Cooperstown Baseball card set.  Only 100 of these cards will exist.  This is the 1st Scully "on-card" autographed card ever made.  Wowzers!  See more information here.

• Per John Heyman at CBS Sports, the Dodgers where willing to go big for Cliff Lee. 

The Dodgers not only claimed Lee, they made offers of players for him. (Colletti and Kasten wouldn't talk about waivers or Lee, since waivers are allegedly a secret and Lee is still a Phillie, but others confirmed their involvement.) 

• Taylor Nestra at Dodgers Nation writes about "Dodgers History: A Great Example Set Forth by Sandy Koufax."
• Howard Cole writes, "Koufax Bobblehead Nice, Koufax Statue Better."
• Cards that Never Were makes his own version of a Maury Wills 1962 Topps Baseball card, and it's pretty awesome.  Check it out.
• Dodger Dugout reviews a children's book called "Gibby's Homer: The 1988 World Series."
• Don't expect to see the National Sports Collectors Convention back in Anaheim any time soon.  Via a tweet from the National's PR group @natsportsshow.

• Emma at Crzblue's Dodger Blue World relays a great story about a found kitten near the Dodgers parking lot before yesterdays game and the man who saved him.  There is something wonderful about animal rescue stories.  BTW, Michael, the man who went out of his way to save the kitty, has named him Koufax.
• Jim Tracy comments on Vin Scully's call of his expletive filled tirade the other day, via Troy Renck at the Denver Post.
• "Juan Uribe's Days Could be Numbered", writes Dylan Hernandez at the LA Times.

"Whatever happens, there's nothing I can do about it," Uribe said. "I can't control that. If they want to trade me or do something else, that's something I can't control. The decision is for them to make. I'm here to do whatever they want me to do."

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Weekend Autograph Opportunities: An Ace, a King, and a Couple of Garvey's

Here are this weekends autograph opportunities throughout the Southland. As always, be sure to check the Blue Heaven Calendar for other events (a link can always be found on the tab at the top of this page, just left of center), and always confirm with the establishment. Everything is subject to change.  Please email me with any tips about upcoming events in Southern California.  As the rest of the week progresses I'll update this post with other events (if there are any) as I become aware of them.  Also, I don't always list every event below, so be sure to check my Calendar.  I always try to favor free signing events over paying events.  Click on any pic to embiggen.

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Angels ace, Jered Weaver will be signing autographs at Silk the Club inside the Pechanga Resort & Casino on Thursday, August 9th.  Go here for more information.  There is a limit of one autograph per person.

August 9th; 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
at the Silk the Club
(inside Pechanga Resort & Casino)
45000 Pechanga Parkway
Temecula, CA 92592

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Both Steve Garvey and LA Kings defensemen Alec Martinez will be signing free autographs on Saturday August 11th at the Grand Opening of the Sports Authority store in the Northridge Fashion Center.  It is at the upper level next to CPK.  Go here for more information.

The first 250 customers win MYSTERY BUCKS, valued up to $500 on Saturday only at 8am.
$100 GIFT CARD GIVEAWAYS Every hour from 9am–6pm Saturday only.
$500 SHOPPING SPREE Register for your chance to win AUGUST 11–18, 2012**

The Alec Martinez signing will start at 10:30 AM.  Steve Garvey will begin signing at 1:00 PM.

Sports Authority (Northridge Fashion Center)
9301 Tampa Avenue
Northridge, California 91324 

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Steve Garvey will be a busy man on Saturday.  After signing at the Sports Authority early in the afternoon, he will then head over to the Normandie Casino in Gardena at 5:00 PM.

August 11, 2012;  5:00 PM
Normandie Casino
1045 West Rosecrans Avenue
Gardena, CA 90247

Hat Tip: Vin Scully is My Homeboy

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A Final Good Luck Message from Matt to Misty May-Treanor for the Gold

With the recent poor play of the Dodgers getting on my nerves, I am thankful there is another sporting event that has temporarily gained my attention. 

This afternoon is the gold medal match in Beach Volleyball (at 1:00 PM PST, for those who plan to watch), and the darling of the Dodgers is in contention for her 3rd consecutive title.  As you know, Misty May-Treanor is married to backup catcher Matt Treanor, and as you can imagine he is as excited as me.  Heck, likely more so.

So, in this final match Matt sends a message to his wife Misty, who's going for gold in beach volleyball this afternoon at the Olympic Games in London.  Watch it below.

Video Link:

Check out my previous post featuring Misty May-Treanor giving shout-outs to Matt and the Dodgers; here and here.

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Card of the Week: Ouch!!

This is a feature I had done for many months several years ago, but stopped doing for reasons that are totally foreign to me today.  I dunno.  Maybe I just got bored with it.  Or maybe, the constant search for cards that I thought were noteworthy became too taxing.

Either way, I thought I would bring it back, at least for a short time.

Check out the above minor league card made in 1989 by Pro Cards.  It features Las Vegas Stars pitcher Keith Comstock, and as you can see he took one for the team.

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Dodgers Throw a Curve- There are 2 Different Sandy Koufax Bobbleheads

I didn't see this coming.  Per Polo Ascencio on twitter we find out that there are actually 2 different Sandy Koufax bobbleheads being given out at tonights game.  Take a look at them below.

On the right is the normal Koufax bobblehead made to an edition of 50,000.  On the left is the "Special Edition" Koufax bobblehead given out only to fans who ordered tickets through a 10-game ticket package plan.  Only 1,955 of these bobbles were made.  The above pic via twitter @poloascenio.

Here is another pic showing what the back of the "Special Edition" bobblehead looks like.  It uses the scene from that famous 1965 photo of Koufax holding 4 baseballs in his hands to signify that his September 9, 1965 no hitter was his 4th of his career.  Strangely, I can't figure out why they only made 1,955 of these bobbles when it clearly shows Koufax in a pose from 1965.  It's got to be a typo on that box because that makes no sense.  Pic below via twitter @poloascencio.

Below is a pic of the boxes for each bobblehead, via twitter @poloascencio.

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Dick Perez Original Baseball Artwork of Campy, Pee Wee, Sandy and the Duke

For most Baseball collectors the name Dick Perez elicits memories of early 80's Donruss Baseball cards that featured paintings called "Diamond Kings"  They were glorious drawings, one player per team, that became most kids first introduction into sports art. I remember thinking that those cards were beautiful, and even though they never garnered any real collector value (in terms of price), I think most collectors enjoyed seeing them when ripping open a Donruss pack.

These days, Donruss may no longer exist, but at least the art of Dick Perez endures. 

Recently, I received word that collectors can now purchase original oil on canvas paintings from Dick Perez, and I thought I should pass that along.  They are available through ARTmine.  Go to this link here.

There are over 50 paintings available for sale, so go ahead and do some browsing.  BTW, a solo art exhibition of Dick Perez's works will take place next year at the Agora Gallery in New York from March 26 to April 16, 2013.

At the very top is a Roy Campanella oil on canvas painting.  It measures 28" x 22" and is priced at $5,000.00.  Above is Pee Wee Reese watercolor that is 16" x 12" and priced at $1,200.00. 

The Sandy Koufax oil painting measures 30" x 20" and is available at $4,800.00.  Duke Snider below is at $3,500.00.

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