Tuesday, April 26, 2016

2016 Onyx Authenticated Platinum Elite - The Lone Dodger Card

Onyx is back with another prospect laden offering.  It is called Onyx Authenticated Platinum Elite and it includes 21 different high-flyers from throughout the game.  The lone Dodger representative in the set is 2014 second-round draft pick Alex Verdugo.  Go here for a complete checklist.  Other top prospects include Dansby Swanson and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 

Like with nearly every card set in existence, there are numerous parallels available.  Below, I only show the basic Verdugo card in the set below.  On the top right is a look at an black parallel to the card.  BTW, every card available is autographed, and there are no logos to be seen.  This is an unlicensed card set.

 #AV-PEA16 Alex Verdugo

Black Limited

#AV-LTD16 Alex Verdugo

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

A Checklist of Tommy Lasorda Cards from his Playing Days

Continuing with my current obsession with cataloging and sharing pics of cards featuring noteworthy Dodger players, below is a Tommy Lasorda listing of collectibles from his playing days.  Of note, I do not include cards from his days as a manager.  Although, I may at a later point do that. 

As always, this may not be entirely complete, so if I missed anything please let me know.

#45 - 1950 Big League Stars (V362) - Blank Back

This cards, measuring 3 1/4" x 2 5/8", was issued by World Wide Gum of Quebec.  They were an subsidiary of Goudey Gum in America.  The 48-card set includes ballplayers from the International League.  Lasorda is the only Hall of Famer in the set.  Also, former Dodger and soon-to-be Hollywood star Chuck Connors is also in the set.

Blog Kiosk: 4/26/2016 - Dodgers Links - Vin Scully, Don Mattingly and Rick Monday's Day


Yesterday's pregame activities included a ceremony celebrating Rick Monday's fantastic save of an American flag on that date in 1976.  Listen to Vin Scully talk about it hereYou can also go here to check out a bunch of photos from the evening.  Per Tracy Ringolsby at MLB.com:
"They were going to put the match to the flag, and it was soaked in lighter fluid," remember Monday. "My attitude was if they don't have it, they can't light it, so I scooped the flag up and kept running. I didn't know if it was on fire or not, but I did know one of the guys was not a [baseball prospect]. He threw the can of lighter fluid at me, but he didn't have a good enough arm to hit me."
Featured above is a photo, via Bill Shaikin on twitter, of Monday and his wife Barbaralee with that flag.

The story about Rick Monday's deed is well known and roundly celebrated throughout the country - as it should be.  What isn't well known, however, is the circumstances surrounding the two protestors who attempted to burn that flag.  In fact, no one really knows much about them, but Vice reporter David Davis does his best to uncover the story.  Unfortunately, we don't really know much more than what we already know (which isn't much):
With their disappearance, with their refusal to address the past, they leave behind questions that seem likely to remain unanswered: What pain and rage led them out on to the field that day, and what did it have to do with that mental institution in Missouri? Why burn an American flag as a method of protest, and why at Dodger Stadium? And, why did a father use his 11-year-old son as an accomplice? In the long silence that followed the moment, there are surely other questions—questions of regret, questions about what it has been like to live with this for 40 years.
Below are more links to check out:
  • This Day in Dodgers History:  In 2008 Vin Scully received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Pepperdine University.  He would later give an stirring commencement speech to the graduating Class of Seaver College at Peppederine that you can watch a snippet of here.  Also, during that evenings game in Colorado Brad Penny would hurl an 93-mph fastball that is missed by catcher Russell Martin and knocks out homeplate umpire Kerwin Danley.  He would be stretchered off the field.