Pages

Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Collection: 1904 Brooklyn Sporting News Supplement


Today, I decided to delve into some vintage Dodgers memorabilia from my collection.  Featured above is a 1904 Sporting News Supplement featuring the 1904 Brooklyn Superbas.  This approximate 8.5" x 11" poster was inserted into the magazine for fans to pin up on the wall.  Unfortunately, the Superbas (as the Dodgers were known back then) were horrible.  They finished in 6th place that season - more than 40 games below .500. 

As you can see, my copy is well worn.  There are numerous pin holes and fading, but it still presents nicely.  Click on the pic to embiggen.

On the top row (from left to right) is Doc Gessler, Harry Lumley, Jack Cronin, Lew Ritter, Oscar Jones, and John Dobbs.  On the bottom row is Ed Poole, Charlie Babb, Mike McCormack, Bill Bergen, Pop Dillon, Dutch Jordan, Jimmy Sheckard, and Sammy Strang.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

This Sunday is Comption Community Day and Several Baseball Greats will be On-Hand


In celebration of Black History Month, Compton Community Day will be held at the MLB Urban Youth Academy in Compton.  On top of that, numerous Baseball greats and dignitaries will be there.  Below are the particulars.

Where:
Major League Baseball Urban Youth Academy
El Camino College, Compton Center
901 East Artesia Blvd.
Compton , California 90221
310-763-3479
When:
Sunday, Feb. 10
11:00 a.m. – Welcome and introduction of VIPs and sponsors
11:30 a.m. – Youth Baseball Skills events – Hosted by Compton College baseball team
Girls Softball games – Hosted by MLB UYA coaching staff
Baseball Basics – Hosted by area high schools
2:00 p.m. – MLB UYA ceremonies
2:30 p.m. – Negro Leagues Tribute Game
Who:

MLB Executive Vice President of Baseball Development and Hall of Famer Frank Robinson; three-time World Series Champion Manager Tony La Russa; MLB Urban Youth Academy Manager and former MLB All-Star Don Buford; former MLB All-Star Jim “Mudcat” Grant; MLB UYA coach and former MLB All-Star Ken Landreaux; MLB Vice President Youth and Facility Development and former Angels catcher Darrell Miller; former Negro Leagues player Simon “Pops” Peters; Compton Mayor Eric J. Perrodin; NAACP President-Compton Chapter Paulette Simpson Gipson; NAACP Vice President-Compton Chapter LaTanya Ganter; Compton College President Dr. Keith Curry; L.A. Southwest College President Dr. Jack Daniels; L.A. Southwest College Vice President Ferris Trimble; and Compton Unified School District school board members. Performing the national anthem at the 11 a.m. ceremony will be China Anne McClain from the Disney Channel original series A.N.T. Farm and the McClain sisters..  
                                
* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Dodger Blog Kiosk: 2/6/2013


Clayton was on ESPN this morning.  See a video of the appearance below.  The photo above was tweeted by his wife.
  • Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com, Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt is excited by what he sees.  Kershaw, Guerra and Belisario did some pitching last week, while Chris Withrow and Pedro Baez become relievers.
 "Clayton was great, outstanding," said Honeycutt. "But he was outstanding his last three starts, so that wasn't a surprise. Shawn Tolleson had a little back tightness, but he threw a 'pen. So did Josh Wall and Javy Guerra, who isn't as far behind as I thought he'd be. Belisario was there, he threw twice, looked real good."
  • Ken Gurnick also notes that the Dodgers are likely out of the Scott Rolen parade.
  • Dustin Nosler at Feelin' Kinda Blue does a minor league team preview of the Chattanooga Lookouts.
  • The Dodgers just announced the final bobblehead.  It will be of Dodger Hall of Famer Don Sutton for June 6th.
  • Awesome!  Scott Andes at Lasorda's Lair has recently started a new series called 'Top Ten Tommy Moments', and relays the day he struck out 25 batters in one game in the minors.
  • Happy Birthday, Babe Ruth!  SI put up a great photo of him today.
  • After what I would call a successful NHLPA campaign, rumors are swirling that Union chief Don Fehr is being recruited to help out the NBA Players Union, via Kurt Helin at Hardball Talk.
  • Shaq tries his hand at water, via Sports Business Digest.  Does he have the business acumen of Magic Johnson?
  • Clayton Kershaw was on ESPN this morning.  He chats about about his hip injury, the Dodgers' offseason moves, playing for Don Mattingly, and the rivalry between the Angels and Dodgers.

Video Link:

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

MLB FanCave Contestant Interview with Tom Roberts


As many of you already know, the MLB FanCave is back for a second season.  Currently, there are 52 Baseball fan contestants remaining, and out of that number there are 3 verified Dodger fans vying for a chance to immerse themselves into the game.  They will eventually whittle it down to a final 9 with the help of fans like you.  Go here to see them all.  Voting ends next week.

Since I am fanatically pro-Dodger, I thought it would be interesting to hear directly from those folks who want to represent us.  Thankfully, the contestants had the same thing in mind.  So, starting today til Friday, I will put up information about all 3 Dodger fans, and share some words they were kind enough to pass along.

First up is Huntington Beach native and super-Dodger-fan-man Thomas Aaron Roberts.  See his FanCave voting here.
Twitter: @BertsBall
Hashtag: #CapeInTheCave
Facebook: BertsBall
Blog:  BertsBall

Above are his particulars, and below is my informal email interview provided in full.  I asked the same question to all three contestants; with exception of the last one (which was meant to be a little fun).

Why should this Dodger fan trust you to represent the Dodger faithful at MLB's FanCave?  What would you say are your Dodger fan bona fides?
I would love to have the support of Dodger fans everywhere. I'm a True Blue believer when it comes to the Dodgers and truly feel that there isn't a bigger fan of the Boys in Blue than me. I know the players, the stats, the traditions and the history. But most of all, I know the game itself. Every March, I drive to Arizona to watch 4 Dodger Spring Training games and get a taste of the upcoming season. I write for two blogs about the Dodgers and also have my own blog chronicling my thoughts on the Dodgers. I bleed blue and will represent the Dodgers with passion, knowledge, personality, respect and excitement. I've had dinner with Tommy Lasorda, met Steve Garvey at the Hall of Fame, been blown off by Kirk Gibson, retweeted by Jerry Hairston Jr., written articles about Vin Scully, and drank beer with Jerry Sands (former Dodger top prospect) Baseball is my heart and the Dodgers are my blood.

A Torn Down Ebbets Field

I just love this photo.  Featured here is a 35mm negative, claimed by the seller to have been taken by noted photographer Arthur Rickerby, of Ebbets Field in the midst of being torn down.  The framing is incredible, as the backside of the Ebbets Field sign appears to overlook the ruins that once hosted the nations greatest Baseball heroes.  The foreground consist of empty seats strewn about as if a giant child had invaded the premises and delighted in stacking and piling up the old hardware without a vestige of sympathy.  The background is nothing but a desolate place. 

The seller indicates that the photo negative dates to 1960.  BTW, Arthur Rickerby started out as a UPI (former Acme Photos) photographer covering post-war Japan and Germany, while also covering sports.  Soon, he would go freelance and work with LIFE Magazine to cover the Kennedy Administration.  He is noted for his sports related work in covering the Yankees and football.

This auction item recently closed at just $12.50.  A steal, if you ask me. Check out Arthur Rickerby's official website here.
(eBay link)

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *