2019 Topps On-Demand Set #21 -- Reflection Baseball -- All the Dodger Cards

Here's a look at another On-Demand set that recently hit the market. It is called Reflection Baseball, and it was billed as a set, "built by fans and collectors for fans and collectors." Apparently, Topps had polled collectors and this set is the result. Go here to check out a complete checklist.

There are 50 cards in the base set and two Dodgers are represented there -- Cody Bellinger and Sandy Koufax.

Base

#7 Cody Bellinger

Blog Kiosk: 12/5/2019 - Dodgers Links & News - Some Odds and Ends

Above is a 1950's era New York Herald Tribune press photograph featuring Carl Furillo rounding thirdbase, presumably after hitting a home run (eBay auction link). He is greeted by coach Walter Alston. Unfortunately, an exact date of the photo is unknown. It was originally taken by staff photographer Jack Frank.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1973 the Dodgers trade outfielder Willie Davis to the Expos for relief pitcher Dr. Mike Marshall. Dr. Marshall went on to win the NL Cy Young Award that next season. He pitched in 106 games, finished 83 of them and recorded a league high 21 saves as a reliever. In 2011 the Dodgers signed free agent utilityman Jerry Hairston to a two-year $6 million contract. He would soon thereafter retire and join the Dodgers broadcast crew.
• Happy Birthday, Jamie McCourt, AJ Pollock, Gus Mancuso, Don Padgett, Steve Rachunok, Raleigh Aitchison, Billy Shindle & Ray Moss! 

Check Out Some Vintage Brooklyn Dodgers Memorabilia at Lelands

Now this is the kind of memorabilia I like to see.

Currently, Lelands auction house is running their 2019 Fall Classic auction and there's a bunch of Brooklyn stuff in it. There's vintage porcelain, clothing, jewelry, advertising art and spring training collectibles. The best piece of all, though can be seen above.

Featured at the very top is a game-used Baseball (Auction Link) from Game 1 of the 1916 World Series between the Brooklyn Robins (Dodgers) and the Boston Red Sox -- a team headed by then star pitcher Babe Ruth. Best yet, the ball comes directly from the personal collection of Ruth teammate Dick Hoblitzell. Per the auction description:

2019 Topps Transcendent Collection - The Dodger Cards

The super-high-end Transcendent Collection Baseball card brand by Topps was released last week and it's a doozy. For the cost of an economy car (more than $25,000) you can get a special metal framed suitcase fill with 54 autographs (including Jeter and Griffey Jr.), 1 original sketch, 2 Complete Sets (Transcendent Icons & Franchise Favorites Reproductions) and 1 VIP Invitation to meet Ken Griffey Jr. Prior Transcendent sets had fan greets with Mike Trout (2018), Hand Aaron (2017) and Kris Bryant (2016).

Check out most of the Dodger cards below. Go here for a complete checklist. Unfortunately, I have not yet seen photos of any of the 'one of one' Dodger cards.

BTW, you can watch an unboxing of a suitcase here.

Transcendent Icons Base

#4 Cody Bellinger

2019 Topps Curated Sets - X Tatis Jr. 0.23 & X Lindor - All the Dodger Cards

I don't know if I like the current trend of releasing curated sets, but as long as there's a Dodger within then I'll continue to share them all here. As you may know, Topps ended the 2018 season with their very first curated set created with the help of Bryce Harper -- it was called '2018 Topps X Bryce Harper 220'. That set did not include a single Dodger player -- which should have been a hint to all of us that he would not be signing with the Dodgers that following winter.

So far this year, Topps has released three of these sets and I am only now sharing pics of two of them. During this years National Sports Collectors Convention they released a Gary Vee curated set called '2019 Topps X Gary Vee Direct360', and I shared photos of them in August. Go here to check out that set.

The other two sets are below. First is the most recent curated set, released in October, that was put together with the help of Padres stud prospect Fernando Tatís Jr. It is called '2019 Topps X Tatis Jr. 0.23 Baseball'. Go here to check out a complete checklist. Joc Pederson is the only Dodger found in the set. Following that is a curated set created by Francsico Lindo called '2019 Topps X Lindor'. Both Jackie Robinson and Cody Bellinger cards can be found there. Go here for a complete checklist.

2019 Topps X Tatis Jr. 0.23 Baseball

Mochalo - Best celebrations in MLB

#3 Joc Pederson

Blog Kiosk: 12/4/2019 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Here's another great moment from the Dodgers first ever championship in 1955. Featured is outfielder Sandy Amoros crossing home plate after hitting a two-out, two-run homer to give Brooklyn an opening lead in Game 5 of the World Series that they would not relinquish. It was taken by legendary photographer Herb Scharfman. Per the descriptor on the bottom:

Sandy Amoros is greeted at the plate by Gil Hodges (14) and the Dodger bat boy after hitting a two run homer over the rightfield wall in the second inning.

I believe the bat boy is the famed Charlie "The Brow" DiGiovanna. He is well known in the collector world for being the ghost signer (secretarial signature) for many of the Brooklyn Dodger players (something that is very common throughout the league). In fact, a Brooklyn Dodger team signed ball known to be signed by his hand sell decently well -- even when you know they aren't real. You can find the above via via eBay (link here). Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1940 the Brooklyn Dodgers traded John Pintar (minors), Gus Mancuso and $65,000 to the St. Louis Cardinals for soon-to-be All-Star catcher Mickey Owen. In 1941 the Dodgers traded Tony Giuliani and Van Lingle Mungo to the Minneapolis Minors of the American Association for pitcher Joe Hatten. In 1958 the Dodgers traded Gino Cimoli to the St. Louis Cardinals for former "Rookie of the Year" winner Wally Moon and Phil Paine. In 1979 the Dodgers signed outfield free agent Jay Johnstone to a two-year $300,000 contract. In 1988 the Dodgers traded Juan Bell, Brian Holton and Ken Howell to the Baltimore Orioles for Eddie Murray. In 2002 the Dodgers traded  Mark Grudzielanek and Eric Karros to the Chicago Cubs for Chad Hermansen and Todd Hundley.
• Happy Birthday, Chuck Corgan!