New Years Questions From Dinged Corners

I guess Dinged Corners recent post asking some New Years Questions for hobbyist has turned into a unofficial Blog Bat Around. Below are my answers.

Round I
1. If I didn't collect Baseball cards, I'd collect _________.

• My first inclination was to say memorabilia or autographs, but those items are really in the same class as Baseball cards. So, my answer would probably have to be coins or, maybe, toys. I'm a collecting pack rat at heart.
  

2. My baseball heroes include one you probably wouldn't know from my blog or comments, and that person is __________.

• Robin Yount. He ranks as one of my all-time favorite players. In fact, as a kid I had my collection of Dodger stuff, but Yount was the only individual player I collected. It all started in little league as the Brewers became the first team I played for. As a result, I naturally wanted to find out everything about the Milwaukee Brewers, and back in the early to mid 80's they were a colorful bunch. The team was filled with characters like Cecil Cooper, Ben Oglivie, Moose Haas, Gorman Thomas and future Hall of Famer Paul Molitor. The leader of this motley crew was Robin Yount. He was a scrappy blue-collar type of player with big hair and a mustache. He exuded hard work and leadership- all qualities I gravitated towards.

3. Every New Years I resolve to ____________ my collection.

• Every year I tell myself that I will organize and then sell/trade off things I no longer want. Somehow, I never find the time.

4. If I could spend a day with one person from baseball history, it would be ________.

• If I had my choice to spend some time with one person from Baseball history it would be Branch Rickey. He was the former Dodger GM who signed Jackie Robinson that ushered in a new beginning for Baseball. Mr. Rickey bucked society by doing what he knew was right. On top of that, his past experiences show this consistent view towards his fellow men. Check out this previous post to see what I mean. An iconoclast like that is a man I can learn a lot from.

Round II
1. What is your favorite kind of dog?

• My favorite dog is a Shepard/ Chow mix. In fact, her name is Miko and she has been with me for over 10 years now.
  

2. Who is your favorite baseball player?

• In terms of a current ballplayer I would have to say Andre Ethier.
  

3. What is your favorite team?

• This answer took no thought at all- The Dodgers!
  

4. What is your favorite baseball movie?

• Bull Durham.
  

5. What is your favorite baseball book?

• The Boys of Summer by Roger Kahn.
  

6. What is your favorite card?

• My favorite card is my reprinted 1950 Toleteros Cuban card of Negro League star and Hall of Famer Josh Gibson. Why, you ask? Well, one of these days I will have a real one in my collection.
  

Dunn in the Outfield?

Since Manny prefers to wait, the Dodger decide that they can't let time waste away. They have apparently made calls about slugger (and strike out machine) Adam Dunn.

The Dodgers contacted Dunn's agent, Greg Genske, over the holidays, according to an executive of a team interested in Dunn... The Dodgers, meanwhile, need to infuse power into a lineup that finished 14th in the National League in home runs last season. And with no certainty that they can re-sign Ramirez, they seem to have decided that Dunn represents their best alternative... Dunn also would require no draft-pick compensation because his former team, Arizona, didn't offer him arbitration.

I like his power, but fear his gift at striking out.

Pic Link: The Nasty Boys:

UPDATE:
I also found a website that is running their 2nd Annual Douchie Awards and Brad Penny is in the running for a prize. Penny had emptied out his locker at Dodger Stadium and disappeared without telling a soul before the playoffs started this past October. What a Douche! Go here to check it out and vote.

UPDATE II:
In some additional free agency news, Bobby Abreu appears to be in our sights as well and the Mets are thinking trade for Andruw Jones.

Blog Kiosk: 12/28/2008

The cold weather has me longing for the days of Summer.

• Josh Rawitch of the Inside the Dodgers blog shares an early sneek peek photo of the new Dodger Spring Training stadium in Arizona.
• I would love to get this card. Topps is producing a 1 of 1 dual autograph card featuring both Jackie Robinson and Barack Obama in its upcoming American Heritage set. (Hat Tip: The Beckett Blog)
  
• Your right Passan, it is embarrassing.

  The United States should win the WBC. Of the 1,188 players who played in a major league game last season, 864 were born in the United States. That’s nearly 73 percent. To have an almost three-quarters monopoly on talent in the best league in the world and not cruise to victory is embarrassing.

• Speaking of embarrassing, Andruw Jones is playing in the Dominican Winter Leagues and he still can't hit. On the positive side he looks more fit. (Hat Tip: 6-4-2)

  Jones is hitting .188 through five games with three singles and eight strikeouts in 16 at-bats. Jones has twice struck out three times in a game and has yet to collect more hits than strikeouts in the same game.

• Chris Jaffe of The Hardball Times really dislikes Garvey. So much so, he titles his story "Hitler. Stalin. Garvey." Now that's harsh. (Hat Tip: MSTI)
  
• Wow. Erin at Robots Took My Medicine had a spectacular day at Dodger Stadium recently. She stepped on the mound, slid into second base, got photos with Tommy (Lasorda) Claus and got some autographs. On top of that, there were bobbleheads and other stuff available at discount prices. I'm envious.
  
• The 1983 Fleer Project gets another autographed Dodger card for their collection.
• REA is offering a $1 Million reward if all 9 T206 Joe Doyle, N.Y. Nat'l, error cards (the non-error only says "Doyle, N.Y." on the bottom) graded by PSA are found. They seem pretty confident that PSA's population report is wrong and that this card is much rarer than the hobby thinks.

Blue Heaven Wishes Everyone a Merry Christmas!

YouTube Link: NORAD Tracks Santa:
Hat Tip: AmericaBlog:

Mastro: More Vintage Treasures

Mastro just completed another great auction last week. Even in a slowing economy vintage material continues to garner big prices.

Below is a group of 1885-1886 Brooklyn Grays scorecards with player portraits. They feature 4 different players of one of the Dodgers earliest teams. Incredibly, they are all scored.

May 2nd 1885 - vs. New York Metropolitans (VG/EX; Brooklyn lost, 2-8; Valentine is penciled in as the Umpire; catcher Will F. Krieg is pictured on the cover; blank backed), September 9th 1885 - vs. Louisville Colonels (VG; lost 3-7; Eddie West is penciled in as the Umpire; third baseman W. H. McClellan is pictured on the cover; ad back), September 25th 1885 - vs. St. Louis Browns (EX; lost 3-6; Kelly is penciled in as the umpire; pitcher Jno. J. Harkins is pictured on the cover; ad back), and June 5th 1886 - at Philadelphia Athletics (VG/EX; Brooklyn won, 14-10; Kelly is again penciled in as the Umpire; left fielder G. E. Swartwood is pictured on the cover; blank backed).

They sold for an healthy $4,500.00.

Auction Link: Brooklyn Scorecards:

Another 1981 Dodgers World Series trophy sold for $2,300.00. It's a salesman sample.

Auction Link: 1981 WS Trophy:

Below is another salesman sample. This time its Kirk Gibson's 1988 World Series ring and it sold for $2,000.00.

Auction Link: WS Ring:

Here is a great vintage game-used Dodger uniform of Fred Singleton from the year of the Baseball Centennial in 1939. It comes with the commemorative patch on its left sleeve and is in incredible condition.

In 6 Major League seasons Fred Singleton played sparingly, but he isn't known for his Baseball prowess. He was a great college football player. In 1955 he was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame as an All-American tackle for the University of Alabama. This uniform sold for $3,250.00.

Auction Link: 1939 Brooklyn Uniform:

Below is a very large grouping of some of the rarest Baseball pins in existence. They are from 1898 and were produced for Cameo Pepsin Gum. The two below are of Hall of Famers Kid Nichols and Buck Ewing. This collection of 64 pins sold for an astounding $72,500.00.

The Whitehead & Hoag Company of Newark, NJ produced these early 1-1/4" celluloid baseball pins as premiums for their neighboring firm, the American Pepsin Co. These pins were distributed with that latter firm's Cameo Pepsin Gum product and carried back paper advertisements for the confection...This impressive grouping of 64 different pins displays a total of 45 Pepsin back papers and 11 others that have 11 Whitehead & Hoag inserts in their stead. The remaining eight have no paper at all. This is an unusually high percentage of surviving coverings for any cello pin collection of any vintage, and remarkable for a 19th century set.

Actually there are a number of amazing characteristics about this collection, beyond its high percentage of surviving back papers. There are visible cracks on only one example (Hutchinson), and that is a single crack that blends in with the image! Most of the pins grade EX or better, with many Near Mint or better examples in their midst. These pins are seldom found with such a uniform high grade appearance, where all of the images are clearly visible with highly legible captions. Only a few of these demonstrate any stains, and on those few examples the staining is unobtrusive, providing no distraction from the pin's attractively preserved subject. This is easily one of the finest holdings in our hobby, containing many examples that were once part of the fabled Copeland collection.

Auction Link: 1898 cameo Pepsin Pins:

The most sought after Shoeless Joe Jackson Baseball card also sold. It is his 1910 T210 Old Mill Cigarettes card. Even is just "Authentic" condition it sold for $85,000.00. Only about 10 cards are known to exist as it features him with the New Orleans Pelicans of the Southern League.

Auction Link: 1910 T210 Old Mill:

Lowe in Deep Negotiations with the Mets

I was kind of hoping Derek Lowe might end up in LA. Unfortunately, he wants to go back East. Story link here from the MetsBlog.

Citing “a source”, Gordon Edes at Yahoo! Sports reveals that the Mets and Derek Lowe are “deep in negotiations”.

Edes writes that although an offer has not yet been made, Lowe is the Mets’ prime target.

It appears that the Teixeira signing may cause a snowball effect.