A Visual Checklist of Sandy Koufax Baseball Cards - 1960 to 1962

Attempting to catalog every Sandy Koufax card and collectible from his playing days is proving to be far more difficult than I imagined.  In fact, I'm scratching my aching head wondering what the heck I got myself into.  Nevertheless, I will endeavor to complete this task.  You can check out Part I (1955-59) here.  Below is Part II - which covers 1960 to 1962.  Click on any pic to embiggen.  BTW, if I am missing any card issues please let me know.

UPDATE: You can view Part III here.  It covers cards and memorabilia from 1963 to 1964. Part IV (covering 1965-1967) can be seen here.

--------------

#343 - 1960 Topps

#NNO - 1960 Danny Goodman - Dodgers Picture Pack - Blank Back
                 

The below photo came from a 20 photo set sold at concession stands during Dodger games.  They are commonly referred to as LA Dodger Picture Packs, but are sometimes called the Danny Goodman sets.  As you may know, Danny Goodman was the Dodgers Advertising Director for 25 years and the brains behind the multitude of Dodger collectibles and memorabilia available at the time.  In fact, his operation and consumer know-how vaulted the Dodgers to the top of the souvenir sales list.  To learn more about Danny check out Andy McCue's excellent biography at SABR, here.

Bobbleheads, Pins and a Justin Turner Chia Pet Highlight Dodgers' 2016 Promotional Schedule

Just as families prepare to enjoy a festive meal and do some holiday shopping the Dodgers decide to release their always anticipated promotional schedule for the upcoming 2016 Baseball season.  As you can imagine it's filled with a whole bunch of good stuff... Like some really awesome stuff.  Go here to check out the schedule.

There will be 10 bobblehead giveaway nights and 10 different pin giveaway nights commemorating the Dodgers’ retired numbers.  The Hollywood Stars game is coming back on August 27th and the Old-Timers Game will be on July 2nd.  BTW, a 1981 World Series tri-MVPs Ron Cey, Pedro Guerrero and Steve Yeager bobblehead will be given out for the Old-Timers Game.  Also, Magic Johnson will be getting a gnome on August 14th.

Probably the most exciting giveaway is Justin Turner chia pet slated for April 30th.  Are you kidding me!  This might be the most awesome thing ever!

Other new items include a Vin Scully T-shirt on May 10th, kids’ batting gloves on May 15th, neck pillow on May 23th and Father’s Day Dodger boxers on June 19th.  Again, go here to check out the full schedule.

BOBBLEHEAD GIVEAWAYS

• Clayton Kershaw on April 25 (vs. MIA)
• Dodger manager Dave Roberts May 11 (vs. NYM)
• TBD May 25 (vs. CIN)
• Don Newcombe on June 8 (vs. COL)
• Dusty Baker on June 22 (vs. WAS)
• 1981 World Series tri-MVPs Ron Cey, Pedro Guerrero and Steve Yeager on July 2 (vs. COL)
• TBD July 26 (vs. TB)
• TBD August 9 (vs. PHI)
• TBD August 25 (vs. SF)
• TBD September 20 (vs. SF).

RETIRED NUMBER PIN GIVEAWAYS

• May 9 (vs. NYM)
• June 4 (vs. ATL)
• June 16 (vs. MIL)
• July 5 (vs. BAL)
• July 7 (vs. SD)
• July 31 (vs. ARI)
• August 8 (vs. PHI)
• September 4 (vs. SD)
• September 7 (vs. ARI)
• September 22 (vs. COL)

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Weekend Autograph Opportunities: A Blue Friday at Dodger Stadium with Ferrara, Davis and Justin Turner

Here are this weekends autograph opportunities and events 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.

---------------------------

Why go through the aggravation of fighting with the crowds at the mall when you can do something more fun?  Go to Dodger Stadium on Black Friday... um... BLUE FRIDAY.

Once again it'll be a Blue Friday at Dodger Stadium over the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend.  Three players will be in attendance to sign autographs for fans; including Al Ferrara, Justin Turner and Tommy Davis.  Check out the schedule in the graphic below, or go here for more information.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Blog Kiosk: 11/25/2015 - Dodger Links - Time Warner, Roberts and Turkeys

The Dodgers came out to the MLB Urban Youth Academy in Compton yesterday to hand out turkeys as a part of the 11th Annual Healthy Family Update and Turkey Giveaway.  Via Ben Platt at MLB.com:

"This is my first time at this event," said (Billy) Ashley. "I enjoy giving back to the community, and Thanksgiving is all about being thankful and I'm thankful to be a part of this and to put some smiles on people's faces and some food in their belly."

"This is my second year doing this," said (Tim) Leary. "I find it really rewarding and it's great that the Dodgers are involved, helping to keep families together or help putting someone who doesn't have a family with some food and other people is awesome."

Photo above via @Dodgers on twitter.  Below are more links to check out:

• Via Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider, "UCLA, USC (and maybe one big arm) highlight 2016 Dodger Stadium Classic."

Four heavy-hitter college baseball programs make up the field at the 2016 Dodger Stadium Classic.

The games will be played on March 6 at Dodger Stadium and will feature a 3 p.m. clash between crosstown and Pac-12 rivals UCLA and USC, after the Big 12’s Oklahoma Sooners play the SEC’s Mississippi State Bulldogs at 11 a.m.

• Well this sucks.  Topps just announced their 2015 MLB All-Star Rookie Team and Joc Pederson did not make the cut.  Therefore, he will not be getting the ever-popular Topps Rookie Cup logo on his cards next year.  Check out the complete list here.
• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Kasten: Roberts' hiring a 'collective process'" 

"At the very end with the last two guys, the owners met them as well, but it's fair to say we made a collective decision," said Kasten. "If there was one person whose decision mattered the most, I'd say it was Andrew. It really was a collective process, but most of it by Andrew along with Farhan and Josh."

• What this guy says.  Via Anthony Irwin at Dodger Nation, "Dodgers Fans Right To Be Optimistic About Roberts Hire."

So, as the vast majority of fans are celebrating the Dodgers’ first minority hire in its incredible history who also happens to have battled cancer and overcome being drafted in the 28th round, what better way to make Dilbeck feel better about himself than to tell everyone to calm down?

Again, though, everyone is aware of everything Dilbeck points out. We just don’t care at this particular moment.

• Via Jon Heyman at CBS Sports, "Mark McGwire expected to become Padres bench coach."
• Here's some Time Warner/Charter news.  Unfortunately, it ain't great.  Via Reinhardt Krause at Investors Business Daily, "Charter-TWC OK May Slide To June, Thanks To Calif."  

Jonathan Atkin, an RBC Capital analyst, in a research report Tuesday, said that "state regulatory bodies are taking on more of an active role in the CHTR/TWC cable merger. In California, an administrative law judge decision is slated for May, with a vote slated for June 16, 2016. This delay of approximately two months vs. the original timeline reflects the (law judge) acceptance of public interest group arguments to introduce evidentiary hearings."

In other words,  since the deal won't close til the middle of summer, at the earliest, you shouldn't expect any movement on the expansion of SportsNet LA until then.  Heck, we might be looking at another year of Dodger baseball not being on TV.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

2015 Panini Contenders Baseball - The Dodger Autographed Cards

After waiting a week to see if I can finally nail down some of the remaining photos I still need featuring Dodger prospects in Panini's most recent set, I finally have given up.  For whatever reason, several of the autographed cards have yet to hit the marketplace.  So, I will just bite the bullet and share what I have collected so far.  Below are the Dodger autograph cards that are available in 2015 Panini Contenders Baseball.  Go here to check out all of my past post on this set.

College Ticket Autographs

#6 Walker Buehler                                   #47 Philip Pfeifer

Blog Kiosk: 11/24/2015 - Dodger Links - It's All About Dave Roberts

Dave Roberts is the rage right now.  He has taken over the town like a gaggle of zombies parading down main street.  Since the rumors and subsequent announcement broke there's hardly been room on the newswires for anything but Dave Roberts... And that's a good thing because, by and large, when news this momentous engulfs a city like Los Angeles and it's not bad, then you know you're on to something.  And that something feels like that old Dodger magic.

Featured above is one of many photographs dug up by Dodger photographer Jon SooHoo and shared on his blog.  Go here to check out a bunch more from him.

Below are more links to check out:

• We may have a new trainer joining the Dodgers soon, via Will Carroll on twitter:

Hearing dodgers have new head trainer selected. Neal Rampe from Dbacks.

— Will Carroll (@injuryexpert) November 24, 2015

• How did I ever miss this?  Back in August Gabe Kapler wrote that men should...LOL... Well, men should make that extra effort to get some sun.  Via Kevin Draper at Deadspin, "Gabe Kapler's Advice To Baseball Players: Get A Nice Tan On Your Nuts." Wha?  (Hat Tip: reddit u/DOCKhobo)

Kapler writes about how vitamin d—which you mostly get from sunshine—is important for testosterone production, and that baseball players likely don’t get enough of it because they’re suited and booted with a cap on out in the field. Kapler’s solution to this problem is for baseball players to sunbathe in their birthday suit and get some sol on their cojones. 

• Via Dustin Nosler at Dodgers Digest, "Looking at some fastball-slider lefty options."

If they don’t acquire a lefty reliever with a good slider, it’s possible Liberatore gets a long look at the opening day bullpen. Having a lefty who can throw a good slider against left-handed hitters is far from a bad thing to have. And I know we’re all waiting for Howell to pumpkin, because everything is seemingly going against him being as good as he’s been the last few seasons. Maybe he’ll prove everyone wrong, which would be for the best.

• BTW, here are some more praises for Dave Roberts:

Huge congrats to the @dodgers for hiring an incredible guy to lead the team. Dave Roberts is going to be there for a long time

— Shawn Green (@shawngreen15) November 24, 2015

Congrats on my man Dave Roberts getting the Dodgers managing job! The Dodgers organization is in good hands a guy I always looked up to!

— Juan Pierre (@JPBeastMode) November 24, 2015

#Congratulations to My New Manager Dave Roberts #dodgers #2016 #newyear #newmanager https://t.co/J5d54pnHJX

— Yasiel Puig (@YasielPuig) November 23, 2015

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *