A 1951 Brooklyn Daily Eagle Vintage Printing Press Plate of Tommy Brown

About a decade ago I came across a bunch of auctions on eBay featuring what was purported to be original vintage Brooklyn Daily Eagle printing press plates of various old-tyme Dodger players. As an avid oddball collector I was immediately smitten, and dutifully spent some time trying to track down an archive of the paper to verify their legitimacy. Thankfully, the printing plates themselves include dates on the reverse (as you can see on the right), so the research was easy to accomplish. As I came to realize, many of them were in fact actually used, so I made a bunch of bids and eventually came away with a healthy collection -- well over ten of them.

Blog Kiosk: 12/7/2018 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Here's an March 5, 1951 Acme Press Photo taken during Spring Training activities in Vero Beach featuring Dodgers outfielder Tommy Brown, alongside his father Bill Brown. (eBay Auction Link) Per the descriptor on the reverse:

A COUPLE OF CANDIDATES.  Vero Beach, Fla.:  Reversing the usual trend, Bill Brown has decided to follow in the spike-prints of his son Tommy.  Here he works out with the young Brooklyn slugger at the Dodgers spring training camp in Vero Beach.  Chuck Dressen: please take note.

Below are more links to checkout:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 2005 Grady Little is named the manager of the Dodgers. He would be the skipper the club for two seasons -- recording a 170-154 record. In 2013 the Dodgers signed free agent reliever Brian Wilson. Wilson would wear Dodger Blue for two seasons -- recording an overall 4-5 record in Los Angeles, 3.77 ERA, 3.79 FIP and one save as a middle reliever. In 2015 a trade between the Reds and Dodgers involving reliever Aroldis Chapman is held up after a police report is unearthed that details a gun incident at the pitchers home. As a result, Chapman faced possible suspension under Major League Baseball's domestic violence policy.
• Happy Birthday, Mike Baxter, Tom Lovett, Ryan Theriot & Yasiel Puig!

The Duke Snider 1957-59 Union 76 Sports Club Booklet

Here is something that I've recently added to my own collection. As you know, Union 76 has been putting out sports related memorabilia at their gas stations for decades. In the 60's and 80's they were know for their player portraits drawn by noted artist Nicholas Volpe, and for a scarce booklet set featuring Dodger players in 1960 and 1961. I had previously shared my 1961 Dodgers booklet set here.

Another booklet set they released from 1957 to 1959 is known as the Sports Club Booklets, and featured here is the lone Dodger player found in that set. It is of Duke Snider. As you can see, the booklet details the "Finer Points of Batting" and includes plenty of tips that any ballplayer can use to get better. I've included complete scans of the entire booklet below.

Check Out this Sandy Koufax Painted Ball by Charles Fazzino

I can't get enough of these painted balls. Over the years I've highlighted numerous works of art on Baseballs; including drawings done by George Sosnak, Monty Sheldon and Charles Fazzino. So, when I put my eyes on this newest Fazzino ball I knew I had to share it here. Featured is the second Charles Fazzino painted Baseball of Sandy Koufax that I've run across. It is on auction at VSA Auctions (link here), but closes later today (sorry about the late notice). You can check out the other Koufax Fazzino ball I wrote about in January of last year here.

As you can see, it includes Sandy's signature and is surrounded by color, sparkle and Fazzino's trademarked 3-D element. The Dodger logo (above the signature) floats above the ball to give it a three dimensional effect. Below are more pics of the other painted panels of this ball.

Blog Kiosk: 12/6/2018 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

(Pic via Jennifer McGraw on twitter)

Fernando Valenzuela is now a member of the California Hall of Fame!

On Tuesday, Valenzuela, along with seven other distinguished persons that include Joan Baez and Robert Redford, were officially inducted in Sacramento. You can watch the entire ceremony here. Per Jennifer McGraw at CBS.com:

“Really, I was so excited and this moment is great,” said Fernando Valenzuela, beloved former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher and World Series winner.

Photo above via Joe McHugh/CA.gov. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1960 actor Gene Autry is awarded an American League Los Angeles franchise that would be known as the Angels -- using a team name that once played in the PCL in Los Angeles and subsequently purchased by O'Malley when he moved the Dodgers West. In 1973 the Dodgers traded Claude Osteen and Dave Culpepper to the Astros for outfielder Jim Wynn. Wynn would go on to have a stellar year the following season in Los Angeles. He slashed .271/.387/.497/.884 with 32 homers and 108 RBI's, and would come in at fifth place in MVP voting. In 2006 the Dodgers signed free agent pitcher Jason Schmidt. In 2007 signed free agent outfielder Andruw Jones.
• Happy Birthday, Tony Lazzeri, Tommy Brown & Dodgers broadcaster Joe Davis!

2018 Panini Black Friday & Cyber Monday - The Dodgers Cards

The recently passed Thanksgiving holiday saw two of the biggest shopping days of the year, and as you know Panini America jumped on the wagon to entice collectors to spend heavily. For Black Friday, they teamed up with various hobby shops throughout the country to pass out Black Friday packs to fans who bought their cards, and on Cyber Monday Panini gave special packs to case breakers for customers who bought slots for select Panini products.

Unfortunately, a complete and detailed checklist for both sets are not yet available, but I think I've got a fairly good handle on the Dodgers' who are available. As you'll see, both sets include a Manny Machado Dodger card. On a side note, I will do my best to updated this should any more Dodger players pop up. BTW, both sets include a multi-sport lineup -- baseball, basketball, football, soccer, and NASCAR. More details on the Black Friday set is here and the Cyber Monday set is here.

Black Friday Base

#30 Manny Machado