Blog Kiosk: 4/17/2017 - Dodgers Links - Jackie Robinson Day

Just beautiful.

Above is the Jackie Robinson statue moments after being unveiled to the public on Saturday. Per Richard Justice at MLB.com:

"I thought it captured Jackie Robinson's significance in American history," (sculptor Branly) Cadet said. "It takes courage and focus and timing to steal home. Similarly, those qualities were required of anyone breaking the color line. My title was 'Stealing home and the point of no return.'

"He was a first. We wanted to represent him in an earlier part of his career when the color line was broken. Historically, that's what was most important. The day he stepped on that baseball field was an important day, not just in baseball, but in American history. We wanted to honor that."

Photo above via Jill Weisleder/LA Dodgers 2017. Go here to check out more pics by Jill and Jon SooHoo from Jackie Robinson Day. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1934 Casey Stengel makes his managerial debut as the Dodger skipper. Brooklyn unfortunately loses to the Boston Braves, 8-7. In 1947 Jackie Robinson recorded his first major league hit -- a bunt single down the third base line off of Boston Braves hurler Glenn Elliott. In 1955 Roberto Clemente, who started out as a Dodger prospect, singles off of Dodger pitcher Johnny Podres for his first major league hit. In 1956 future Hall of Famer Don Drysdale pitched in his very first game. He threw one inning of hitless relief in the ninth inning of a losing game. In 1994 the Dodgers belted 19 runs against the hapless Pirates to tie a club record for most runs in a game. In 2013 Clayton Kershaw strikes out his 1,000th batter of his career -- the victim was Padres first baseman Yonder Alonso.
• Happy Birthday, Ad Yale, Jake Daubert, Stan Andrews, Marquis Grissom & Gary Bennett!

More Robinson Memorabilia at Jackie Robinson Foundation Auction

Following the numerous post I've put up over the past couple days, here are some more interesting memorabilia related directly to Jackie Robinson available at Goldin's current Jackie Robinson Foundation auction.

This is a rarity. Above is a Jackie Robinson game-used 1955 World Series bat. (auction link) As was custom, Hillerich & Bradsby created this series specific custom bat for Jackie to use. Below is a circa 1955-56 Brooklyn Dodger cap attributed to Jackie Robinson. (auction link)

A Wesleyan Yearbook with Branch Rickey and Charles Thomas - Where Baseball Integration First Entered Rickey's Mind

The yearbook you see above doesn't look like much, but it holds within it an important story relevant to this weekends Jackie Robinson Day. Featured above is a 1905 “Le Bijou” Ohio Wesleyan University yearbook -- the school where Dodger General Manager Branch Rickey first got the idea that Baseball should not have a color line. (auction link) Best yet, there is an fantastic team photo of the schools Baseball team that includes Rickey and a certain fellow who is the main subject of this story -- an African-American ballplayer named Charles Thomas.

Diamondbacks Series Starts on Friday - Stadium Giveaways and Other Stuff!

The next series starts on Friday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.   Below are some odds and ends for this upcoming homestand.

I am considering discontinuing this series of post focused on homestand information. Unfortunately, the Dodgers will likely not be providing the same kind of detail they had in the past about each upcoming homestand. So, the below info does not include, for the most part, first pitch, pregame ceremony, Military Hero of the Game, and other interesting information.

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

Friday, April 14th at 7:10 PM

Zack Greinke vs. Clayton Kershaw

SNLA / AM 570 (Eng.), KTNQ 1020 AM (Span.)

Blog Kiosk: 4/14/2017 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Cold bats on a cold day continue to hamper the Dodgers. Yesterday, they could not muster a hit when they needed it most. They went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position; which only added to their woes against the Cubs. Over the pasty three games they are 1-for-24 with runners in scoring position. Ironically, 1-for-24 equates to a 0.042 average -- maybe the Baseball gods are having a bit of fun with us as we enter Jackie Robinson weekend. Per Rowan Kavner at Dodger Insider:

“When you’ve got to have that hit to push a couple across, we haven’t got it yet. I know it’s not for lack of effort. Maybe a little (wanting it) too much.” — Dave Roberts

The Dodgers got blanked, 4-0. Ryu struggled through 4 2/3 inning, allowing two home runs with the wind blowing in. Per John Jackson at MLB.com:

"The velocity was a little bit down today," Roberts said. "He touched 91 [mph] but pitched at 87, 88. I thought he left a couple of fastballs out over [the plate], one to Rizzo and one to Russell. I thought the changeup was really good.

Photo at the very top via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2017. Go here to check out more pics by Jon from yesterdays game. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1931 47-year old Brooklyn Robins hurler Jack Quinn becomes the oldest pitcher to start an Opening Day game. He would lose to the Boston Braves, 7-4. In 1964 Sandy Koufax made his only Opening Day start for the Dodgers. He faced the St. Louis Cardinals and threw a six-hit shutout, 4-0. It is also his ninth career complete game without allowing a walk.
• Happy Birthday, Jack Radtke, Greg Maddux, Mike Trombley, Brad Ausmus & Carlos Perez!
  

Ed Stevens Story about Losing the 1st Base Job to Jackie Robinson

As we all know, Jackie Robinson broke the color-barrier in 1947 as a first baseman. What we don't know much about is what happened to the guy that had the position before him -- Ed Stevens. Well, thanks to the current Jackie Robinson Foundation Auction we get a glimpse at what was in Ed's head. Featured above is a typewritten letter, dated to 1995, from former Dodger first baseman Ed Stevens, and in it he expresses a bit of antipathy. Not towards Jackie, but toward Branch Rickey. (auction link)

He writes:

I was replaced in 1947 by Jackie Robinson on the Dodgers. My story's never been told on that. I sacrificed my career to make room for Jackie Robinson. I had the ballclub made. I was gonna be the regular first baseman and, 'course they had Howie Schultz over there, the basketball player, and we'd been doin' some alternating. I hit against right-handers, he hit against left-handers.

This is the platoon the Brooklyn Dodgers likely would have had that season. Stevens continues:

Mr. Rickey told me if I'd go back to Montreal and make room for Jackie Robinson and have myself a good year, that he would shake my hand in a gentleman's agreement that he would bring me back as soon as I got to hittin' good and got myself in shape - to give him a chance to get rid of Eddie Stanky, move Jackie Robinson to second base and I had a job for the next 10, 15 years, as long as my ability would allow me.