A Fantastic Vintage Dodgers' Scrapbook on eBay

This might be one of the coolest things I've seen on eBay.  Check it out here.  Featured is a vintage scrapbook put together by an fanatic Brooklyn Dodger fan, circa 1936 to 1948, and it's filled with a whole bunch of fantastic news clippings.  I grabbed all the photos from the auction in this post.  Click on any pic to embiggen.

There is everything from player photos and biographies to news stories about brawls during a game, fans in the stands, the loss of Leo Durocher and the emergence of Jackie Robinson.  Unfortunately, we can't perfectly read all of the clippings, but in one there appears to be mention of a potential league-wide players strike, instigated by members of the St. Louis Cardinals, against Jackie Robinson.  This incident even necessitated a personal meeting by NL President Ford Frick to those players who was reported to have told them,

"If you do this you will be suspended from the league.  You will find that the friends you think you have in the press box will not support you, that you will be outcasts.  I do not care if half the league strikes.  Those who do it will encounter quick retribution.  And will be suspended, and I don't care if it wrecks the National League for five years.  This is the United States of America, and one citizen has as much right to play as another."

Those are some very strong words during an tumultuous time.  BTW, on that same page is another story titled, "Good Conduct by Negro Fans Urged."  As if they were the problem... Ugh!

Anyway, check out all of the pics below. 

Weekend Autograph Opportunities: Adrian Gonzalez's 1st Annual Bat 4 HOPE Celebrity Softball Game

Here are this weekends autograph opportunities and events throughout the Southland. As always, be sure to check the Blue Heaven Calendar for other events (a link can always be found on the tab at the top of this page, just left of center), and always confirm with the establishment. Everything is subject to change.  Please email me with any tips about upcoming events in Southern California.  As the rest of the week progresses I'll update this post with other events (if there are any) as I become aware of them.  Also, I don't always list every event below, so be sure to check my Calendar.  I always try to favor free signing events over paying events.  Click on any pic to embiggen.

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For those of you yearning for the return of some Dodger Baseball maybe this event will suffice.  This Saturday is Adrian Gonzalez's 1st Annual Bat 4 HOPE Celebrity Softball Game at Dodger Stadium.  It benefits the PADRES Contra El Cáncer.  Players from the LA Dodgers, athletes and celebrity supporters will all come together to raise awareness for childhood cancer and fundraiser for PADRES' vital programs and services. Go here for information and to get tickets. 

Join me 4 #Bat4HOPE w/ @redturn2 @yungjoc650 @BrianWilson38 @Nomar5 for @iamhope. Tix@: https://t.co/Yt35ctbCCx pic.twitter.com/1YEtaaHebT

— Adrian Gonzalez (@AdrianTitan23) November 3, 2015

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Several retired football players will be at Frank & Sons this coming Saturday.  Check out the flyers below.  Go here for information.

Frank & Son Collectible Show
19649 San Jose Avenue
City of Industry, CA 91748

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Blog Kiosk: 11/4/2015 - Dodger Links - Zack Greinke, Dave Roberts and Kiké Hernandez

What do you do when you know that you'll be going under the knife soon?

You go to Disneyland, of course!

Last night we learned that banana-loving infielder-outfielder Kiké Hernandez would be having right shoulder surgery today, via Jon Weisman at Dodger Insider.  So, the 24-year old, who we all know is just a big kid at heart, spent this past weekend running around the Magic Kingdom with his mother.  Just check out the photo tweeted by Kiké above as proof.

There's no word yet on the extend of the injury or the exact procedure being perfomred by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, but Jon wrote that it's minor.  Hopefully, this does nothing to derail a promising future with the Dodgers.

Below are more links to check out:

• Dodger tradition takes a major hit with the retirement of Nancy Bea Hefley.  Via Stacie Wheeler at the Hardball Times, "The Day the Organ Music Died."

Nancy Bea is a beloved part of Dodger tradition, and I believed the new front office was working to go back to the true Blue way. But eliminating Nancy Bea’s music degrades the Dodger fan experience at the ballpark. Her music, like Scully’s voice, lent another dimension to the game-watching experience, a component that few other professional sports teams have.

• Via One Nacion at ESPN, "Call it a comeback, Adrian Gonzalez already working on 2016."  AGon has returned to his offseason boxing routine.
• To the surprise of no one, Bud Black to interview with the Dodgers, via a tweet from Ken Rosenthal.  It also appears a decision about a new manager will not be decided for quite a while:

Sources: #Dodgers plan to interview Bud Black for managerial opening. Team about halfway into process. As many as 10 interviews possible.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 3, 2015

• Also, not a surprise.  Greinke has officially opted out, via a tweet from Bill Shaikin:

Zack Greinke has officially opted out. He is a free agent. #Dodgers

— Bill Shaikin (@BillShaikin) November 4, 2015

• I'm not sure what to make of this, but I would definitely welcome it.  Via Bill Plaschke at the LA Times, Dave Roberts is apparently on top of the Dodgers' list of candidates.

He showed up last week to interview for the Dodgers' managerial vacancy, he aced the interview, and he's now apparently the favorite.
...
You hire Dave Roberts because a team of underachievers needs to be prodded by an overachiever, a team of chill needs a manager whose career could never withstand even one day of complacency. You hire Dave Roberts because, if his popular Dodgers tenure is any indication, his ego wouldn't be too big to embrace new ideas, full front-office communication, and holdover pitching coach Rick Honeycutt.

I hate agreeing with Plaschke.

• Guess who else will be interviewed by the Dodgers - Kirk Gibson.  Via a tweet by Jim Bowden:

Dodgers are going to interview Kirk Gibson for the Manager opening according to club sources. Gibson was NL MGR... https://t.co/YPATGUFzsz

— Jim Bowden (@JimBowden_ESPN) November 4, 2015

• I'm not crying... Really, that's not tears.  Via a tweet from CBS Sports:

LOOK: Andrew McCutchen gets HR ball from boy he visited in hospital https://t.co/SJlOrbYPJC pic.twitter.com/LgMxFkXR8k

— CBS Sports MLB (@CBSSportsMLB) November 3, 2015

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Panini Collegiate Cards - Some of the Dodger Players

Panini not only makes professional sports cards, but they also make collegiate cards.  In fact, they've been doing this for quite some time.  Typically, college themed cards are found within their NFL and NBA sets - not surprising since collegiate programs play a big part in those athlete's development.  In Baseball, however, a ballplayer is far more likely to be drafted out of high school and trained in the finer art of the game under the tutelage of a Major League club.   Still, there are numerous exceptions to this rule. 

Panini's newest offering is a series of university specific complete factory sets featuring some of the top collegiate athletic programs in the country and their players.  They include school like Texas A&M, University of Michigan and USC.  Check out a complete listing here.  For the most part, football and basketball players dominate these sets, but there are a handful of notable Baseball players included. 

Unfortunately, not every college in the above listing has been released yet.  In fact, I have yet to see the USC and UCLA sets in hand.  Heck, a UCLA checklist isn't even available yet, and I've been waiting eagerly for that one since there's a chance Jackie Robinson could be included.  In the meantime, most of the other college sets are now available and several current Dodgers are ready to be added to your collections.  Check them out below.  BTW, I'll certainly share any other Dodger cards to pop up as they get released.

For now, there are three current Dodger players wearing the uniform of their alma mater with pride.  First up is Dodger catcher and former ballplayer at the University of Miami Yasmani Grandal.  Set checklist here.

University of Miami

#14 Yasmani Grandal

Blog Kiosk: 11/3/2015 - Dodger Links - Puig, Roberts and Vote for Scavuzzo

Will we be getting a new and improved Yasiel Puig next season?

It's obviously way too early to tell, but you gotta love this early indication.  The photo above, featuring Puig with slugger Miguel Cabrera, was instagramed yesterday.  In the caption Miggy says that he ran into Puig working out with weights for the first time in young career.  Hopefully, this is a sign of some good things to come.  (Hat Tip: r/ilovemesomeme)

Below are more links to check out:

• I like Dave Roberts, via a tweet from Ken Rosenthal:

Sources: #Dodgers have interviewed Dave Roberts for managing job. LAD not close to decision. Roberts expected to move on from SD regardless.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 3, 2015

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "Ralston Cash, manager Bill Haselman named to 2015 AFL Fall Stars Game."  As Eric notes, Dodger prospect Jacob Scavuzzo is also an "Final Vote" candidate for the All-Star Game.  Go here to make your mark for Scavuzzo.
• Well... I guess Dusty Baker is the manager instead.  Via Mike Oz at Big League Stew, "It's official: Dusty Baker is the new manager of the Nationals."
• Via Kennedy Ryan at KTLA5, "Two Men Arrested in Shooting of Brother of Dodgers Pitcher Josh Ravin." 
• You folks should come on out for this, via a tweet from Justin Turner:

Excited to play n #Bat4Hope Celeb Softball for @iamhope. Come out 2 support, get tix today: https://t.co/7ZGKJG5P0D pic.twitter.com/AWD13X3aMT

— Justin Turner (@redturn2) November 3, 2015

• Via John Thorn at Our Game, "Ball Playing Among Native Americans."
• This is probably the most insightful sabermetric analysis of the Royals World Series win.  Via Alex Skillin at The Hardball Times, "The Royals Are A Sabermetrics Team."

The Royals haven’t just won with defense, of course. At the plate, they’ve built a lineup filled with high-contact hitters in an era when power has become pricey and highly sought after. Moreover, in a time when hurlers have dominated and strikeouts have soared, Kansas City has assembled an offense that is less susceptible to the effects of elite velocity and pitching’s widespread supremacy.

As Ben Lindbergh wrote recently at Grantland, evidence exists that high-contact hitters perform better against power pitchers, a notion that has been borne out in the playoffs for two years in a row. (The Giants, too, have succeeded with a similar offensive makeup.) Although burly sluggers often can do more damage, they’re less consistent at the plate, and they’re vulnerable when facing hurlers who excel at getting strikeouts. Watching the Mets’ power arms churn through a formidable Cubs lineup demonstrated this concept to a “T.”

...
Ultimately, Kansas City is still not viewed as a sabermetric team due to a dated reputation that no longer accurately reflects the organization’s capabilities. Instead, the Royals should be regarded as one of the smartest organizations in baseball — a franchise, much like the Pirates or Astros, that has developed a clear plan and carried it out to great success. No, the Royals haven’t excelled solely because they possess some hyper-advanced analytics department filled with mad scientists churning out data and formulas that are well ahead of everyone else. But what they’ve done probably would draw far more accolades from the sabermetrics crowd if a team like the Rays or Cubs had succeeded with similar strategies.

• Awesome!

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Vintage Roy Campanella Cuban League Photo at Hake's

Hake's 216th auction is currently ongoing, and it once again includes a large number of rare photographs from the noted Negro League collection of Richard Merkin.  One of these photos is of a 23-year old Roy Campanella as a member of the Marianao Tigers of the Cuban Winter League.  It is dated from 1943-44 and stamped by Fotografio Novoa on the front and reverse.  Check it out above.  You can see the auction item here.

As you can see, it shows an exciting play at the plate.  Unfortunately, it doesn't appear that Campanella was able to complete a tag as the ball sails over the runner and seemingly towards the head of the umpire.

Also included is an 1920's era team photo of the Homestead Grays.  Check it out below.  Here is the auction link.  Photographs from early Negro League teams like the Gray's are extremely rare, so when they pop up you have to take note. 

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