Dodgers Blog Kiosk:1/18/2013 - Check Out Pope John Paul II in the Batting Cage!

Check out a pic tweeted by @Dodgers of Don Zimmer, Duke Snider, Carl Erskine and Walt Moryn in Vero Beach in the 50's.

• 7 current Dodgers are playing in the World Baseball Classic, via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com.
• Emma at Dodger Blue World continues with her biographies of every living Brooklyn Dodger with Lee Pfund.
• Scott Andes at Lasorda's Lair makes 19 predictions about the Dodgers.
• Tomorrow afternoon is the official banner raising game for the LA Kings.  There are some pre-game activities planned, so for information go here.  Also, both Marcel Dionne and Daryl Evans will be on-hand to meet and sign autographs for fans before the game.

(twitter link)

• Christopher Jackson at Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness writes of the lack of shortstop depth in the Dodgers minor league system.
• Craig Muder at Cooperstown Chatter tells of the 1970 exhibition all-star Baseball game played in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
• This is the best Baseball video I've seen all year.  Watch Pope John Paul II taking in some batting practice.  Really, he gets in the cage and takes some swings.  Apparently, he had played on a Vatican softball team.  (Hat Tip: thecolorblew on reddit)  The best comment I saw on youtube said this:

Nothing makes me feel less athletic/coordinated than realizing even a Polish man in his 70s is more comfortable in a batting cage than me.

PS.  I am now unsure if this actually him or a clever hoax.

Video Link:

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A Couple of More Duke Snider Autographed Cards

Here are a couple more autographed Baseball cards of Duke Snider in my collection.  Above is a 2004 Leaf Certified card numbered #94 out of #100, and below is a 2004 Playoff Honors card numbered #3 out of #50.

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Matt Kemp Will be Grand Marshall at Kingdom Day Parade this Saturday

This coming Saturday will be the 28th annual Kingdom Day Parade in South Los Angeles, and Matt Kemp will be its celebrity Grand Marshall.

The Kingdom Day Parade was put together to recognize Martin Luther King day, and is southern California’s largest King Day celebration. It commemorates the life and legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and wife Coretta Scott King.

Joining Kemp will be other Dodger alumni; including Bobby Castillo, Tommy Davis, Al “The Bull” Ferrara, “Sweet” Lou Johnson, Lee Lacy, Kenny Landreaux, Tim Leary, Wes Parker, Dennis Powell, Derrel Thomas and Maury Wills.  They will be riding atop the Dodger fire truck. The Dodgers are a sponsor of the 28th annual Kingdom Day parade, themed “His Dream Will Never Die.”

Below are the particulars:

• 10:30 a.m.  Parade begins from Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. and Western Ave. 
• 11:00 a.m.  Live telecast on KABC-TV starting from Crenshaw and King Blvd. 

Unfortunately, I will not able to attend (I'll be at the Kings Opening Night afternoon game), but if anyone happens to be there please pass along some photos for me to post up.

Below is a map detailing the festivities.  I know the map below is dated for the 2010 parade, but I understand that this coming Saturdays event will follow along the same route. 

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Happy Birthday, Danny Kaye!

Due to a reminder from Dodgers historian Mark Langill, we can celebrate the 100th birthday of the great singer, actor, dancer, and Dodger fan, Danny Kaye.  A consistent presence in Dodger clubhouses in both Brooklyn and Los Angeles, he is best known to all us for his iconic song called the "D-O-D-G-E-R-S Song (Oh, Really?  No, O'Malley)".  So in honor of him, sing along to that song in the video below.  BTW, I've included the "B" side of the single below that, called "Myti Kaysi at the Bat".

Video Link:

And here is the song "Myti Kaysi at the Bat".

Video Link:

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13 Days from the Release of 2013 Topps Baseball Cards - A Matt Kemp Preview

I am counting down the days.

The best thing about every new year is the knowledge that the Baseball card season will soon begin.  In 13 days I can go down to my local store and pick up a couple of packs to relive those memories of childhood.  Sure, the smell of Topps gum is no more, and packs no longer have that clear wax substance keeping it tightly sealed.  Still, the same joy exist.  I've already got a Dodgers team set (with inserts) coming to me, but make no mistake I'll be opening a few packs just for the giggles.

In anticipation of the 2013 season, Topps unveiled a bunch of preview pics on twitter; including Matt Kemp's base card.  See it below, and go here to Topps twitter page for more previews.

(pic link)

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Dodgers Blog Kiosk: 1/17/2013

Here is an updated photo of the construction work at Dodger Stadium, originally posted on Instagram by Yvonne Carrasco.

• Bob Nightengale at USA Today writes of the good works being done by Clayton Kershaw.
• BTW, check out the MLB Network on Friday evening at 6:00 PM.  Clayton Kershaw will be featured on MLB Network’s “Top 10 Right Now: Starting Pitchers.” MLB Network determined its rankings of the top 10 starting pitchers using “The Shredder,” which uses statistical analysis to measure performance. In addition, renowned author Bill James and MLB Network analyst John Smoltz both give their own personal lists of the top 10 starting pitchers in baseball.

Also, at 7:00 PM, Kenley Jansen will be featured on “Top 10 Right Now: Relief Pitchers.” Again, MLB Network determined its rankings of the top 10 relief pitchers using “The Shredder” and Bill James and John Smoltz also give their own lists of the top 10 relief pitchers

• Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA tells us about the Dodgers ushering in the era of flight to Baseball.
• Emma at Dodger Blue World writes a bio on former Brooklyn Dodger Ray Hathaway.
• Here's a great story by Eric Stephen at True Blue LA about AJ Ellis' first romp through salary arbitration.
• A Big Congrats to Night Owl Cards for being named the Best Collector Blog of the Year for the 2nd straight time.  It's an honor that is well deserved.
• Steve Wulf at ESPN tells us a little bit about newly elected Hall of Famer Deacon White.

White was also honest and principled. When he and teammate Jack Rowe were sold to the Pittsburgh Alleghenys in 1889, they refused to report unless they were paid additional money. Said White at the time: "We ain't worth it. Rowe's arm is gone. I'm over 40 and my fielding ain't so good, though I can still hit some. But I will say this. No man is going to sell my carcass unless I get half."

• Mark Saxon at ESPN shares a great interview with Dodgers scout Bob Engle.  Below is an excerpt.

Q. Few Dodgers fans have any idea what to expect from Ryu. What should they expect to see in April?

A. He has a real good feel and an assortment of pitches and he can reach back when he’s in trouble. He’s a good competitor and it will be interesting and fun to watch. The [Korean Baseball League] is a good league. I don’t know what caliber of league you would compare it to in the States, but it’s solid. You see more power there than you see in Japan. 

• Go here to check out some amazing photographs.  Some are shocking, while others are fascinating.

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