Blog Kiosk: 2/10/2016 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Here's another fantastic pic that comes from an original color transparency that's currently for sale on eBay.  This time I feature Roy Campanella makings his acceptance speech as the newest member of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown; dated July 29, 1969.  Seated to his right are Stan Musial, Waite Hoyt and Stan Coveleski (from L to R).

Below are more links to check out:

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Bill Haselman introduced as Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers manager."

"As a catcher, you're involved in the game pretty much every pitch, calling the game and talking to 11-12 different pitchers on a daily basis getting them ready for a game," Haselman said. "You have a lot of different personalities. It's always a challenge to be able to figure out each individual by themselves and get them to perform the best they can.

"Being involved as a catcher, it's an easy transition as a manager because you've already dealt with half a team your whole playing career."

• Watch Hannah Storm of ESPN interview Magic Johnson about the Dodgers, here.
• Reddit user r/GritMcGritterton put together a fantastic 2015 Dodgers home run video montage that you should check out, here.  You should watch it before they shut it down.
• Via Peter Gammons at the Gammons Daily, "The Transitional Culture of Cuban Baseball Development."  He takes a closer look at the process Cuban players go through when coming to the Major Leagues.

“I think the most important thing with the Cuban players is building a trust that goes both ways,” said the Dodger official.
...
“Donnie tried really hard, and maybe Yasiel wasn’t ready to trust the situation,” said the Dodger official. “Maybe it will take a new situation. Dave Roberts is an incredibly positive person. He has had what we hope have been productive meetings with Puig.”  Then there is George Lombard, Roberts’ prized addition to his coaching staff. The Dodger front office was blown away by Lombard, who is highly intelligent (his grandfather George Francis Fabyan Lombard was the dean of Harvard Business School), his mother Posy became a significant figure in the Civil Rights Movement after graduating from Smith, working closely with the Rev. Martin Luther King before tragically losing her life in an automobile accident on Cape Cod.

Lombard is married to a Cuban-American, knows that Miami community well, understands the Cuban culture. “I think the trust built in establishing a personal and professional relationship is hugely important,” says the Dodger official. “I do think the trust factor is something that can be difficult to build, with the Cuban players dealing with such a different culture, but many players trying to assimilate into our baseball culture from theirs.”

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Vintage Pics of Holman Stadium at Dodgertown, Vero Beach from its Opening in 1953

Over the past few days I've been posting up vintage pics (here and here) from an well-known eBay auctioneer named Hyee_Auctions that feature vintage photographic transparencies.  Nearly every Baseball team is available, but none are cooler than the photos featuring the "Boys in Blue" (except for maybe the Yankees pics; which are just as good).  Most of the Dodgers photos available were taken during various spring days over the decades, and the most fantastic ones are in this post.  BTW, these pics were all taken by a duo known as "Cranston & Livia."  If you happen to know who they are please let me know.

Featured here are photographs from the very first game played at Holman Stadium in Dodgertown, Vero Beach, FL - Its Opening Day. The date is March 11, 1953.

At the very top are the stadium flags raised as a part of the Opening Ceremonies (Auction Link Here).  The white flag seen above celebrates the Dodgers National League Pennant in 1952.  Below is Brooklyn Borough President John Cashmore with Walter O'Malley in the stands (Link Here).

(Auction Link)

Below is a view of the crowd in the left field stands (Link Here).  On the right you can see what the players dugout looked like.  Also, the blue flag on the left says "Elmira."  I believe this refers to a town in the western part of New York state; near Ithica.  

(Auction Link)

This last photo is of the Dodgers dugout that sits along the right field line (Link Here).  Roy Campanella (#39) is easily recognizable at the center of the photo.

BTW, the Dodgers won the days game, and Cark Erskine is credited with throwing the very first pitch in the stadium.  Per a letter O'Malley sent to The Sporting News:

“I believe our attendance at the game (opening game for Holman Stadium on March 11th) exceeded the total population of the City of Vero Beach.”

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2016 Topps Baseball Series One - Berger's Best, Greatest Streaks, Walk Off Wins and WS Coin & Stamp Insert Cards

Take a look at even more Dodgers insert cards found in packs of 2016 Topps Series 1 Baseball card packs.  This time I share pics from the Berger's Best, Greatest Streaks, Walk Off Wins and WS Coin & Stamp Insert cards.  Go here to see all of my previous post on this set.

I thought I would make note of the "Berger's Best" cards.  For those who don't know, "Berger" refers to former Topps executive Sy Berger.  He is considered by most hobbyist to be the "Father of the Modern Baseball Card."  At the age of 28 he, along with Bazooka Joe co-creator Woody Gelman, designed the very first real Topps Baseball card set in 1952.  Berger would go on to work at Topps for 50 years.

Berger's Best

#BB-4 Sandy Koufax

Blog Kiosk: 2/9/2016 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Here's another fantastic pic derived from an original photographic transparency.  Featured above is Pee Wee Reese showing off his swing to the cameraman.  It is dated to March 4, 1957, and was taken at Dodgertown in Vero Beach, FL.  This is one of many different vintage color transparencies currently for sale through Hyee-Auctions on eBay. 

Below are more links to check out:

• Via Eric Mandel at MyNorthwest.com, "Littlest brother's shadow looms large for Mariners' Kyle Seager."  Find out what big brother Kyle thinks of little brother Corey.

At the Mariners' annual FanFest event on Jan. 31, third basemen Kyle Seager was faced with a question he's likely been asked for years: Who is better, you or your little brother?

And, apparently, Kyle couldn't help but give his most honest answer.

"He's good, sorry," Seager responded to a cascade of laughs. "I'm sorry he's better; I'm trying, I promise." 

• Via Justin Russo at Dodgers Nation, "Joc Pederson Attends Super Bowl 50."
• Matt Eddy at Baseball America noted on their Minor League Transaction page that the Dodgers re-signed Chin-Hui Tsao.
• Yeah!  I get it.  The Gurriel brothers have defected from Cuba, and I suspect every team in the league will be hot after their trails.  Steve Adams at MLB Trade Rumors has a good rundown on them, here.
• Looking for some validation?  Then check out Reuben Hampton and Jeremy Losak story at the Sports Quotient, "Dodgers Depth Enough To Win."
• Jeff Pearlman shares an fantastic interview with sports publicist Kelly Swanson, here.  She is noted as the "biggest publicist in boxing" over the past twenty years.
• Wrigley Wax finds an glaring error in the 2016 Topps Baseball card set that features Wrigley Field.  Check it out here.
• Wow.  Via Rich Mueller at Sports Collectors Daily, "Doug Allen Sentenced to 57 Months in Federal Prison."  He was one of the auction house guys (Mastro/Legendary) caught by the FBI and prosecuted for illegal auction activities (like shill bidding) and the sale of fake/inauthentic goods.  Allen was a heavyweight in the hobby.  Now, he's going to jail.
• If you don't read Night Owl Cards then you're missing out. 

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2016 Topps Baseball Series One - Back to Back, Scouting Report and Team Logo Pin Relic Cards

Here are more Dodgers insert cards found packs of 2016 Topps Baseball Series 1 packs.  This time I share pics of the Back to Back, Scouting Report and Team Logo Pin Relic cards.  Go here to see all of my previous post on this set.

Back-To-Back

#B2B-6 Pederson & Gonzalez

Blog Kiosk: 2/8/2016 - Dodgers Links - Maeda, Puig and Dave Roberts

Doesn't this photo above give you the chills?

It's of Hall of Famer Roy Campanella playing catch near 1st base during a Spring Training workout at what I think must be Dodgertown in Vero Beach, FL.  According to the seller on eBay (Hyee_Auctions) it is dated February 29, 1956 (a leap year), and it states that Campy is playing catch with youngster Sandy Koufax.

Furthermore, the auctioneer has numerous other Dodgers available currently, so I'll have an individual post featuring many of them soon.  BTW, what is available for sale is the actual color transparency (taken by Cranston & Elkins), so you can certainly make multiple prints to hand out to friends.  This is rather unusual item since color photos (let alone a transparency) from this time period are scarce.  Black & White pics were the prevalent medium at the time.

Below are more links to check out:

• Dodgers manager Dave Roberts wrote a piece at MLB.com, "Reflecting on Jackie's influence." 

Observing Black History Month is important for baseball. For me, I became aware of Jackie Robinson right around age 15-16. My father is African-American. He told me as I was getting more further along in my athletic career, he kind of educated me about Jackie and his story. So as I got older and more educated and wiser, just kind of digging more into his story, and I ultimately went to UCLA, and so I played at Jackie Robinson Field. So just seeing that really resonated with me and what an impact Jackie made on society and what a leader he was.

• Via August Fagerstrom at FanGraphs, "Projecting Byung-ho Park, Hyun-soo Kim, and Kenta Maeda." 

Ben Badler of Baseball America’s most recent scouting report on Maeda, from this December, notes that Maeda has recently improved his changeup, flashing plus in front of scouts at the Premier 12 tournament in Taiwan last month, getting swings and misses with sink and fade in the low 80s.

• Via Jorge Morejón at ESPN, "Yasiel Puig embracing change in 2016 season."

"I am working to strengthen the legs and prevent injuries like last year and focused on continuing adjusting to my new life in the majors, to get along with my teammates and try to help the team," Puig said Friday in an interview with ESPN Deportes.

• Robert Murray at Baseball Essential interviews Dodger prospect Cody Bellinger.

His dad, Clay, played in the big leagues for four seasons with the New York Yankees and the Anaheim Angels and he is still a big influence for him.

“He’s taught me all I know,” Bellinger said of his father. “On and off the field, he taught me to play the game with respect.”

• Via BlowoutBuzz, Topps Spring Fever in-story hobby shop program to begin this coming Wednesday.   At participating stores a $20 purchase will get you a redemption card for a 5-card pack of 2016 Topps Spring Fever cards.  Redemption cards can then be exchanged a week later at the same store for the pack (beginning Feb. 22).  The Spring Fever set consist of 50 cards, and there randomly inserted autograph cards, as well.  Dodger players available include Clayton Kershaw, Adrian Gonzalez and Corey Seager.  Of note, Zack Greinke has a card, but he is featured in an Diamondbacks uniform for the first time.  See it on the right.
• Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, "Dodgers coaches helping lead Team New Zealand."

Chris Woodward and Josh Bard, members of Dodgers manager Dave Roberts' new coaching staff, are currently halfway around the world, doing their part in the globalization of baseball. Woodward will be the Dodgers' third-base coach when Spring Training opens, Bard the bullpen coach. But for the next two weeks, Woodward is manager and Bard his coach on the New Zealand national team, which competes in the World Baseball Classic qualifier in Sydney, Australia, next week.

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