Photos from the Historic Dodgertown Ceremony and Dodger Adult Baseball Camp

Last week I mentioned that Historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Florida would be designated an Florida Heritage Landmark and that a ceremony dedicating a marker would happen today.  Thankfully, the good folks at Historic Dodgertown passed along some photos from today's big event. (Photo credit: Historic Dodgertown – Vero Beach, Fla.)

In the above photo you see Vero Beach community leader Bud Holman (on left), Tommy Lasorda and Peter O’Malley at Florida Heritage Landmark ceremony.  Below, Steve Garvey and Sandy Koufax watch Maury Wills offering some instruction at Dodgers Adult Baseball Camp at Historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Fla.

As you may know, today was Day 1 of the Dodgers Adult Baseball Cam, and a whole bunch of Dodgers were in attendance to help out the players.

Here are even more photos from today's ceremony, via the @Dodgers on twitter:

Camp is underway at Historic Dodgertown, which today was designated as a "Heritage Landmark." http://t.co/6rXAMBEq30 pic.twitter.com/UIeXehjyaH
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) November 10, 2014

And here are some pics of some of the former Dodgers providing an helping hand at the Baseball camp.  Steve Garvey tweeted the below photo; featuring Chan Ho Park:

@ Pinetar5...Our great Kirean friends...Park, Lee and Kim at @historicdodgertown #mlb @dodgers pic.twitter.com/jMpnhkbwS9
— Steve Garvey (@SteveGarvey6) November 10, 2014

Here's Wills and Garvey with some campers:

The fabulous @DodgersAdultCamp starts tomorrow @HistoricDodgertown..Maury Wills and the Great Guy Wellman! pic.twitter.com/QujjjlxkFW
— Steve Garvey (@SteveGarvey6) November 10, 2014

And Steve Garvey having fun in the rain at Historic Dodgertown:

Back @HistoficDodgertown for first #AdultCamp in 5 years..A little drizzly☔️☔️☔️ pic.twitter.com/fsv93uznod
— Steve Garvey (@SteveGarvey6) November 10, 2014

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A Couple Vintage Brooklyn Dodger Items at Hunt Auctions

Later this week Hunt Auctions is closing their 11th annual Live Auction at Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory and it includes a couple of unusual Dodger items that I wanted to share here.  Check them out below.

This is the first time I've seen this.  Below is a Brooklyn Dodgers Stanford Pottery bank c.1940s-50s.  The bank has a 'D' on his cap and the word 'Bums' across his chest.  You may also notice that the figurine bank also has a lit cigar in his mouth. 

(Auction Link)

Here is a large (20"x26") advertising display piece for PF Canvas Shoes created by BF Goodrich.  Featured on the cardboard display are Roy Campanella, Stan Musial, Bobby Doerr, Phil Rizzuto, Eddie Waitkus, Sam Jethroe, Bob Lemon, Billy Goodman and George Kell.

(Auction Link)

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Blog Kiosk: 11/10/2014 - Dodger Links - Japan Series with Puig and Our Outfielders on Trading Block

Here's a fantastic vintage photo of future Hall of Famer Casey Stengel of the Brooklyn Dodgers in the classic checkerboard style 1916 uniform.  The grin on his face is classic.  Photo shared by r/dlevine09 on reddit.

Below are some links to check out:

• Dodger Penguin shares a recap of the Don Sutton Signing at Harry's Dugout this past weekend, here.
• Listen to Dodger GM Farhan Zaidi speak to Fred Roggin via The Beast980.
• Via Tony Ciniglio at the LA Daily News, "L.A. Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig embraces trip to Japan for upcoming MLB goodwill tour."

  

  (pic tweeted by @MLB)

“I’m happy to be going with such a great team and to be playing with so many great players on this team,” Puig said in Spanish. “We started training today, and I think we are well-equipped, and we are making sure we are ready for a couple days out there.

“It’s a really long flight, and we’re not just going for fun. Even though we are players from different teams, we want to play well.”

Jon Weisman shares even more photos featuring Puig's fantastic exploits in Japan.  Go here to check it out.  Below is the MLB Network tv schedule for the Japan Series, tweeted by @DodgersPR on twitter:

• These rumors tweeted by FoxSports reporter Ken Rosenthal should come as no surprise.  You had to figure the new Dodger front office wants to tackle the 'outfield issue' right away:

Sources: #Dodgers aggressively trying to move Kemp, Crawford or Ethier. Puig not in play.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 10, 2014

#Dodgers willing to include anything from no money to significant money depending upon return.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 10, 2014

#Dodgers' Kemp obviously drawing attention, but some teams prefer a left-handed hitter such as Ethier or Crawford.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 10, 2014

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Some Early Details for 2014 Dodgers Holiday Mall Tour: Hershiser, Turner, Valenzuela & Garciaparra

With all of the changes happening with the Dodgers, it's nice that one tradition will continue on.  Early details have just emerged about the 2014 version of the Dodgers Holiday Mall Tour, and so far it includes some legendary Dodger names.  Check them out below.  You can also go here for details at the Dodger website. (UPDATE: 11/10/2014 - They have just taken off all information on their website link, so either there will be some dramatic changes or they did not mean for the below information to come out yet)  (UPDATE:  There is also a Blue Friday Thanksgiving sale at Dodger Stadium on November 28th that includes player appearances, as well.  Go here for that information.)

Only two dates are scheduled for now, but I expect several more to be added to the calendar soon.  You will notice that the early listings show a time range of 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.  This is not the expected autograph/meet & greet times for the players.  Instead, this is when the Dodgers kiosk will be set up to meet with fans.  More detailed appearance times should be forthcoming.

Westfield Topanga
6600 Topanga Canyon Boulevard
Canoga Park, CA 91303
Sunday, December 7, 2014

Players:
Orel Hershiser
Justin Turner

UPDATE!:  Appearance times:

Orel Hershiser: 11am-1pm
Justin Turner: 2pm-4pm

Glendale Galleria
100 West Broadway, Suite 700
Glendale, California 91210
Saturday, December 13, 2014

Players:
Fernando Valenzuela
Nomar Garciaparra

UPDATE!:  Appearance times:

Fernando Valenzuela: 11am-12pm
Nomar Garciaparra: 2pm-4pm

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Blog Kiosk: 11/8/2014 - Dodger Links - Farhan Zaidi, Yasiel Puig and Chad Billingsley

The Dodgers introduced their new General Manager, Farhan Zaidi, yesterday to a handful of local press people, and by most accounts it was a successful event.  He had an opportunity to address his analytical background and philosophy in such a way that even LA Times reporter Steve Dilbeck could understand it.  Photo above via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2014.

Still, I so wanted to hear the gallery chant the demeaning phrase 'NERD, NERD' like that lovable oaf named Ogre from that mid-80's movie classic that spawned three unwatchable sequels.

Yesterday could have been the prologue before the opening credits scrolled on the television screen.  Then, mad hazing would ensue as a wild and wacky crew of old-school Baseball defenders, lead by Ryan Theriot, enact their cruel yet hilarious forms of justice.  Soon, an unlikely romance is born before the plot climaxes with a rousing speech about how Baseball has always been about statistical analysis - heck, read about Allan Roth to understand how the Dodgers were one of the early vanguards.

At the end of the movie, the camera would pan across a cheering fanbase spread throughout Dodger Stadium.  Seated right in front, in the area usually occupied by Tommy Lasorda, is a motley collection of former rivals.  Hand in hand, stats folks and non-stats folks would rejoice in a happy bliss.

It coulda happened.

Below are some links to check out:

• Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider shares numerous quotes from yesterdays press conference regarding the recent hiring of Farhan Zaidi and Josh Byrnes, with Andrew Friendman.  Check it out.

“Both guys are going to touch everything. It’s a massive operation, and our vision is to be as good as we possibly can be in every facet. The development side, international, scouting, the way we use information, the way we prepare at the Major League level — all of those are incredibly important. To have all of touching those not only puts us in the best position we can be but allows us to do so as quickly as we can.

• Jon then shares numerous quotes from new GM Farhan Zaidi, "Quotebook: New Dodger GM Farhan Zaidi discusses his approach."  Check that out here.

“The hard question isn’t just evaluating how good players are, it’s how good players are going to be. And that’s another thing that you’re never going to be able to build, is some model that’s going to project and tell exactly what someone’s going to do next year. … That’s why you need this holistic approach to baseball operations, otherwise you’re going to miss out on a whole swath of opportunities.

• Via Aaron Gleeman at Hardball Talk, "Dodgers’ new GM Farhan Zaidi has a good sense of humor."
• Via Cary Osborne at Dodger Insider, "Puig, Butera heading to Japan for All-Star Series."
• In case you were wondering, via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA on twitter, the Kevin Correia trade has been completed:

Dodgers sent cash (no player) to the Twins to complete the Kevin Correia trade
— Eric Stephen (@truebluela) November 7, 2014

• Via Jayson Stark at ESPN, "Kershaw or Bumgarner?"
• Via Nathan Fenno at the LA Times, "Judge rejects Yasiel Puig's second attempt to dismiss lawsuit."

For the second time this year, a federal judge has rejected an attempt by Yasiel Puig to dismiss a lawsuit blaming the Dodgers outfielder for the imprisonment and alleged torture of a Cuban man.

• Via Ken Rosenthal on twitter, Chad Billingsley has changed agents.  There is no guarantee that he'll remain a Dodger.  There is bound to be a team out there willing to take a flyer on him.  Call it a high risk/high reward scenario.

Free-agent RHP Chad Billingsley has changed agents, joining Steve Hilliard of Octagon. Billingsley previously was repped by Dave Stewart.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 5, 2014

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LA Kings Dodgers Pride Night is Coming - 18th of November

The annual Dodgers Pride Night at an LA Kings game returns on Tuesday, November 18th against the Florida Panthers.  As always, I'll be attending the game and I will endeavor to get there early.

As you may know, for this event the Kings come out for their pregame/warm-up skate wearing specially made Dodger-themed hockey jersey's that will be auctioned off to benefit the Kings Care Foundation during the game.  Last season, I just missed out on winning one, so I will take another stab at it come that Tuesday. 

Heck, I probably shouldn't even mention this since all I am really doing is creating unwanted competition for myself in that auction.  Nevertheless, since it's for a good cause I'll put aside my selfish intentions. 

In past years a former Dodger player (or two) have been in attendance to sign autographs for fans.  Unfortunately, no Dodger was present to sign last year.  Although, early word has leaked that Justin Turner will drop the first puck (BTW, that's no guarantee he'll be greeting fans), via The Major John Hoven on twitter:

Sounds like @redturn2 (former CSUF standout) will drop the first puck for #Dodgers night at the stapler, 11/18 Kings v Panthers.
— The Mayor John Hoven (@mayorNHL) November 7, 2014

Photo at the very top via Juan Ocampo/LA Dodgers 2013.
Graphic that is above via @LAKingsPR on twitter.

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