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Thursday, January 10, 2013

A Brooklyn Dodgers/Robins American Caramel Card - Emil Meusel


Featured here is another Brooklyn Dodger vintage Baseball card in my collection.  This time I show a 1927 American Caramel card of Emil "Irish" Meusel.  He played for the Brooklyn Robins (as they were known back then) in 1927, his last season in the Majors.  BTW, he was a California boy.  He was born in Oakland and died in Long Beach in 1963.

Overall, Meusel has an able hitter.  He batted a career .310 over 11 season.  His career OPS was .813, OPS+ of 118, and drove in 819 runs.  In 1923 he lead the league in RBI's with 125, and once placed 12th in MVP voting in 1925.  As a Giant he starred in 4 consecutive World Series, helping win 2 championships for them. Of note, he played opposite his younger brother, Bob, in three consecutive Fall Classics from 1921 to 1923.

Below are his career stats, via Baseball Reference:

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42 - New Jackie Robinson Movie Trailer is Out!

I've heard some complaints that the new Jackie Robinson movie might not be historically accurate -   from the apparent showboating to potentially key missing moments (such as the Shotgun Shuba handshake).

Nevertheless, I can't wait for the movie to open.  Just released today, is the second trailer to the movie "42". 

Video Link:

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Dodgers Blog Kiosk: 1/10/2013


Best comment yet about the improvements being done at Dodger Stadium.  Pic meme via FixingTodie on reddit.
“Perception in our world is absolutely reality. Everybody is linked to it. You’re either a suspected user or you didn’t do anything to actively stop it. I fall into the category of being one of the players who didn’t do anything to stop it. This is part of the price that we’re paying.”
  • Check out this incredible antique vintage photo of Christy Mathewson that recently sold on eBay for $1,708.83.  It's a former Culver Pictures archives photograph.  Several Net54 readers are painstakingly researching it's potential date- maybe from 1902?  This is very rare and potentially a great steal at the price.


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Hall of Fame Snub? Much Ado About Nothing

Yesterday, the BBWAA announced that they have chosen to not elect anybody into 2013's Class of the Hall of Fame. And with that, the entire internet blew up.

Like, really!  It exploded with tweets, facebook post, reddit screams and crying comment threads excoriating the inhumanity of leaving off this guy or that guy!  It was as if these superstars didn't have 15 years, that's 15 YEARS, to be admitted into Baseball's ordained class of greats.  But I assure you that this is nothing new, folks!  Really... This is nothing new.

Still, I read writer and after writer, many of whom I greatly respect, lament about how the BBWAA and the rules for admittance into the Hall of Fame are corrupt or in need of significant changes.  To that, I say "BS!"... To put it bluntly.

Let me tell you why by just listing how long it took other Hall of Famers to finally be admitted.  It's an impressive list, and should provide enough evidence as to why the intense grumbling yesterday was an overreaction amplified by social media.

Don Sutton 5th Year
Don Drysdale 10th Year
Duke Snider 11th Year
Eddie Mathews 5th Year
Yogi Berra 2nd Year
Roy Campanella 5th Year
Hank Greenberg 9th Year
Joe DiMaggio 4th Year
Dizzy Dean 9th Year
Mel Ott 3rd Year
Jimmie Foxx 7th Year
Lefty Grove 4th Year
Rogers Hornsby 5th Year
Cy Young 2nd Year
Tris Speaker 2nd Year
Nap Lajoie 2nd Year

Just look at that list!  Snider took 11 years- 11!  Drysdale- 10 years.  Even Yogi and Mr. Cy Young were not 1st ballot Hall of Famers. And possibly the greatest hitter of all-time, Rogers Hornsby, waited 5 years before getting his plaque.  Also, keep this in mind, less than half of current inductees were elected by the writers.  It truly is an exclusive club, and the writers have always treated it as a solemn duty that they do not take lightly.  Historically, if there was even a question as to the worthiness of a player the writers have always chosen to defer to special committees filled with other past greats.

In the game of Baseball patience is a virtue, and having to wait is in no way an indictment of a players career.

It just might be that in our age of mass, constant, and quick communications, it only seems like we have witnessed a travesty of monumental proportions.  I assure you, we have not.  Those that deserve to be in the Hall of Fame will be in, it just won't be on your timetable.


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Collection: Preacher Roe Archives Autographed Baseball Card

 

Preacher Roe was a great pitcher for the Dodgers in the late 40's to 50's.  He won 93 games while only losing 37, and is noted for his superb control.  Preacher was also famous for throwing a spit-ball, calling it his "money pitch."  BTW, he was branded with the nickname at the age of 3 when his uncle asked him his name.  The young Roe responded with "Preacher" because of a strong impression a local minister had on him.  The minister would take the happy child on horse-and-buggy rides.

Although Preacher was a master on the mound, he was horrible with the bat.  He had a career .110 batting average.  In 1953 he hit his only home run against the Pirates, and Dodger announced Red Barber had this to say:
"Well, old Number 28 has hit a home run, and we'll never hear the end of it, folks!"
Featured here is a 2001 Topps Archives reprint card of Preacher Roe's 1952 Topps card in my collection.  It has been signed by him.

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