Blog Kiosk: 8/24/2020 - Dodgers Links & News - Some Odds and Ends

On Sunday the Dodgers honored the memories of Gianna and Kobe Bryant on what would have been his 42nd birthday. In addition to the pregame ceremony, Gianna and Kobe’s uniform numbers were painted on the pitchers mound for today’s game against the Rockies. See it above. Pic via @Dodgers on twitter:

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1960 Vin Scully famously had fans at Dodger Stadium wish third base umpire Frank Secory a happy birthday during the game. In 1975 Davey Lopes stole three bases against the Expos to extend his Major League record of consecutive steals to 38. Then in the 12th inning of this same game he is thrown out at second base by Gary Carter. Coincidentally, Carter had been the last catcher to throw Lopes out before starting his record streak -- on June 4th. In 2007 the Dodgers signed free agent pitcher David Wells. In 2014 Joc Pederson became only the fourth player in the history of the PCL to have a 30-30 season, and the first to do it in 80 years, when he stole a base for the Albuquerque Isotopes (a Dodgers Triple-A affiliate). He would come up to Los Angeles later that September.
• Happy Birthday, John Brown, Kip Gross, Jeff Kubenka, Kevin Correia & Enrique "Kiké" Hernandez!

2020 Topps On-Demand #9 - Dynamic Duals - All the Dodgers'

Here's a look at the Dodger cards found in Topps 2020 On-Demand set #9 called Dynamic Duals. A total of 950 base sets were sold online. Go here to check out a complete checklist. Below are all of the Dodgers'.

Base

#10 Gavin Lux / Dustin May

Blog Kiosk: 7/8/2020 - Dodgers Links & News - Some Odds and Ends

I've been absolutely swamped lately, so I apologize for the lack of recent post.

Check out the always cheery Joc Pederson showing his love for the game, via a tweet from the Dodgers.

We're so close to watching Baseball -- I can almost taste it. In fact, the Dodgers are holding an intrasquad game this afternoon, at 6:40 PM, that will be streamed live on the Dodgers’ Twitter and Facebook with commentary from Alanna Rizzo and Nomar Garciaparra. It’s expected to last 3 innings.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1901 the Brooklyn Superbas defeat the St. Louis Cardinals, 7-5, as a result of a questionable call by the umpire. This act infuriates Cardinals fans, to the point of rushing umpire Hank O'Day and giving him a split lip. He has to be rescued by the police. In 1907 Cubs manager Frank Chance, after being pelted with pop bottles, hurls a bottle back at the crowd that cut's a boy's leg. This resulted in a mob that forces Chance to leave the park in an armored car witha police escort after the Cubs defeat the Dodgers, 5-0 (boxscore). In 1949 Giants infielder Hank Thompson faced Dodgers pitcher Don Newcombe at the plate -- marking the first time a black batter hit against a black pitcher in Major League history (boxscore). Thompson would hit a pop fly to third in his first at-bat, and go 0-for-2 with a walk overall In 1980 the All-Star Game is played at Dodger Stadium. The National League wins, 4-2 (boxscore), for the ninth consecutive time.
• Happy Birthday, George Hunter, Rowdy Elliott, Tex Wilson, George Fallon, Charlie Gilbert, George Culver, Lerrin LaGrow, Mike Ramsey, Danny Ardoin & Ferdinand Abell (one of the original founders of the Dodgers)!

2020 Topps Project 2020 -- Sandy Koufax and Jackie Robinson Cards

Topps mysterious collaboration teased a few weeks back was officially unveiled yesterday and begins with a doozy. Available for a couple of days is an online exclusive Sandy Koufax card created by Hip Hop/Street Culture artist and musician Jacob Rochester. As you can see, the card is an homage to Sandy's 1955 Topps Rookie card. To the right is a look at the reverse of the card.

Project 2020 is an artistic collaboration with 20 different artist and pop culture influencers, and each of them will reinterpreting 20 different legendary Topps Baseball cards to create a massive 400 card set.

This first offering includes the Koufax card above and an Ichiro card created by famed jeweler Ben Baller.

Blog Kiosk: 3/26/2020 - Dodgers Links & News - Some Odds and Ends

This just might be the best photo from the 1955 World Series - the Dodgers first World Championship. Featured are a group of Dodger wives (see Rachel Robinson on the far left) celebrating right after the victory, available via RMY Auction. This photo was taken by Barney Stein and it is a re-strike -- printed in 1980.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1953 the St. Louis Browns returned pitcher Tommy Lasorda to the Dodgers after having just purchased him a month prior. In 1984 Jackie Robinson was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Ronald Reagan in a White House ceremony. Rachel Robinson accepted the award on her late husband's behalf. At the time, Jackie was just the third ballplayer to be given the distinction (Moe Berg and Joe DiMaggio were the others). You can watch the presentation here. In 1991 the Dodgers sign free agent catcher and future Hall of Famer Gary Carter to a one-year $500,000 contract. 
• Happy Birthday, Jack McCarthy, Joe Klugmann, José Vizcaíno & Frank Lankford!

Blog Kiosk: 3/18/2020 - Dodgers Links & News - Some Odds and Ends

Here's a look at the Dodgers 2020 on-field cap. As you can see, it includes a patch for the upcoming All-Star Game. Pic above via New Era on twitter. BTW, below is a look at the St. Patrick's Day Dodger cap for this year, below (via Dodger Blue)

(Emmett Kelly by Art Rogers/LA Times)

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1942 two African-American ballplayers, Jackie Robinson and Nate Moreland, showed up at the White Sox spring training home at Brookside Park in Pasadena and requested a tryout. They met manager Jimmy Dykes and were allowed to hit the field, but as you know nothing would come of it. In 1958 famed clown Emmett Kelly, signed by the Dodgers to play the teams mascot in Brooklyn, announced that his contract had not been renewed to join the team in LA. The veteran circus performer believes the size of the Coliseum, the club's new home on the West Coast, is just "too big for one clown".
• Happy Birthday, Oscar Walker, Johnny Cooney, Gerónimo Berroa & Scott Podsednik!

Blog Kiosk: 3/2/2020 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

LeBron James was seen sporting a Jackie Robinson Brooklyn Dodgers jersey over the weekend, via a tweet from the Lakers.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1956 the Dodgers sold pitching prospect Tommy Lasorda to the Kansas City A's. In 1976 the Dodgers traded outfielder Willie Crawford to the Cardinals for infielder Ted Sizemore.
• Happy Birthday, William Fischer, Moe Berg, Woody English, Cal Abrams, Chico Fernandez, Jay Gibbons & Bud Norris!

2019 Topps Advent Calendar & All-MLB First Team Sets with Cody Bellinger

With Christmas quickly approaching, Topps has been releasing holiday Advent Calendar cards as a online exclusive product. Starting a couple of weeks ago, Topps has been selling one Advent card a day, and the Cody Bellinger's card has finally reared its beautiful Christmas bow-wrapped head. Check it out above. You have until tomorrow to place an order for it. Go here to do that. To the bottom right is a look at the reverse of the card. It says:

Blog Kiosk: 11/12/2019 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Both Gavin Lux, Fernando Valenzuela and others were on-hand to greet veterans for some batting practice at Dodger Stadium on Veterans Day, yesterday. Per Daniel Starkand at Dodger Blue:

Phillip Chaidez, a U.S. Air Force veteran that served in Iraq and currently lives in East Los Angeles, was among those in attendance with his family. “It’s really cool,” Chaidez told DodgerBlue.com. 

“I usually don’t like to get stuff for veterans, but this was different because it was something my kids could enjoy so that was the main reason we’re here and really excited to enjoy this day. Think about it, the World Series was down here, this is awesome. My son was able to get some batting advice from a Hall of Famer, doesn’t get any better than that. We’re very appreciative.”

Photo above via @Dodgers on twitter. Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1986 the Dodgers officially released longtime shortstop Bill Russell -- in order to facilitate his recent retirement from the game. He had an 18-year career with Los Angeles and ranked second in franchise history for games played (behind Brooklyn outfielder Zack Wheat). In 2014 Clayton Kershaw is the unanimous winner of the National League Cy Young Award. It is his third Cy Young. He went 21-3 with an 1.77 ERA, 1.81 FIP, six complete games and two shutouts. He will be named the MVP the next day.
• Happy Birthday, Jack Ryan, Red Evans & Greg Gagne!

2019 Topps Now - #687 - Bellinger & Trout Hit their 40th

Here's the newest Cody Bellinger 2019 Topps Now card, and this time he gets to share it with fellow slugger and crosstown rival Mike Trout. This card let's us know that they both his their 40th home run of the season yesterday -- to lead the Majors.
Go here to check it out and order. Below is what's written on the reverse:

Cody Bellinger set a new career high with his 40th home run of the season while temporarily taking over the MLB lead. Mike Trout later tied him atop the leaderboard, hitting his 40th home run against the White Sox.

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2019 Topps Pro Debut - All the Dodgers' Insert Cards

Now that you've seen the base cards, below is a look at all of the other Dodger insert cards that are available in packs of 2019 Topps Pro Debut. On a side note, I decided to include the two Mike Trout/Rancho Cucamonga Quakes cards below. I reasoned that since the Quakes are now a Dodgers farmclub I would be justified. Besides, I'll likely never have an other opportunity to show a Trout card on this blog, so why not.

Future Cornerstones Autograph

#FCA-KR Keibert Ruiz