Loving Manny Mota

(pic from DodgerTownUSA)

This afternoon was Dominican Republic Day in the MyTown section of Dodger Stadium.

Before there was Manny Ramirez we had Manny Mota.

Goodwin Champions- Dodger Inserts

The much anticipated Upper Deck set called Goodwin Champions is finally out and examples can be found all over eBay. Below is a complete list of all of the Dodger relic and autograph cards that you can pull in a pack. I think the most exciting pull is the Don Newcombe autograph card. The drawing is great and his autograph only makes it better.

Above is Clayton Kershaw's and below is Chad Billingsley's autographed cards.

Cory Wade looks down towards the barrel below.

The clouds and a majestic sky is an apt backdrop for this Dodger legend as he shows his outstretched arm with a ball in-hand. This card is beautifully done.
Here is Manny's cut uniform card.
This Billingsley cut jersey card is a bit ho-hum.
Hiroki Kuroda is a warrior. He will take a knock in the head and smile right back at you.

Thank You Andre!

(pic by Jon Soo Hoo, LA Dodgers, DodgertownUSA)

Card Of The Week: OG

I have finally gotten around to posting this weeks "Card of the Week," and, as you can see, it features a dangerous looking Mike Piazza. This is his 1997 Upper Deck Collectors Choice card and he is doing his best Al Capone impression.

Late last night I was about to complete this post featuring another card, but stopped short when I saw this card at the Trader Crack's Card blog. It easily eclipses my previous choice and I had to award it this week's winner- with apologies to Trader Crack's.

This card came out when I was absent from the hobby. So, this is the first time I have ever laid eyes on it. In fact, there is about a 5 to 10 year period where Baseball cards were the farthest thing from my mind.

BTW, I still wish we never traded the guy. He was my favorite Dodger at the time.

The Brooklyn Dodger Train Crash

Before the start of the sixth inning in tonight's game Vin Scully mentioned a bizarre incident that happened on this day. (In Vin's broadcast he mentioned September 13, but I'm sure he meant today's date- the 14th.) On September 14, 1945 the Dodgers played a doubleheader in St. Louis, then immediately boarded a train to Chicago for a game the next day and a another doubleheader the following day. While on the train, the next morning at about 5 AM on the 15th, they hit a gasoline truck.

I recount this incident because it truly is bizarre and I had briefly mentioned this accident a few days ago in a Player Correspondence post featuring Cy Buker. Which adds, in my mind, to the bizarreness.

Anyway, I wanted to add to the story by retelling what Cy Buker said about the train accident.

"We were on the train from St. Louis to Chicago. Around 5:00 a.m. with train traveling about 80 miles per hour, we hit a gasoline tanker truck. The explosion killed the engineer, fireman, and brakeman and the truck driver. We were riding in a Pullman car sitting up. We couldn't get a sleeper with all the troops coming back home. It was quite a jolt to wake up and see flames all around the car. Since the cars were mostly steel, the flames went out in a short time. We had a double-header in Chicago, and I had to work one of the games."

Another source only mentioned train engineer Charlie Tegtmeyer as a casualty, but stated that both outfielder Luis Olmo and coach Chuck Dressen had minor injuries.

Blog Kiosk: 9/13/2009

• Follow Orlando Hudson on Twitter- right here.
  
• I love the name of this new Dodger blog, Plaschke, Thy Sweater Is Argyle, with the catch phrase of "All Dodgers. All The Time. Minus the Plaschke."
  
• Chicago Lawyer Magazine examines the 1919 Black Sox scandal and lays out the groundwork for a "reasonable doubt" argument while questioning the veracity of some of the facts in the book "Eight Men Out." (Hat Tip: TS O'Connell)
• Night Owl Cards makes a couple of custom Alyssa Milano cards, but expresses consternation at her new husbands team allegiance. The card below uses the 1986 Topps Baseball design
• Bob Lemke has been making custom cards for years that are based on the 1955 Topps Football All-American set. Check out his creations here in his album. My favorite is the Steve Garvey below. There is also a great Jackie Robinson card- so check it out here.
• Go here to see, probably, the last of the new editions to the 2009 Goose Joak custom cards of the Dodgers from GCRL. Garland, Thome and Belliard are featured.
  
• I like these cheerleader insert cards.
• Just awesome. The Custom Card Blog unveils 3 custom Flint Tropics cards, from the movie "Semi-Pro", that borrows its design from the 1976 Topps ABA card set.
• That is something to brag about. The Upper Deck blog shows off the T-Rex tooth card.
• In a stroke of brilliant marketing Sidney Crosby of the Penguins visits a season ticket holder with the Cup.
• Here is a preview clip from ESPN Films 30 for 30 Project documentary called "King's Ransom." It's all about the Gretzky trade to LA.
  Publish Post

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