Season of the Samurai

In 2005 I had a chance to see several Golden Baseball League games. If you don't already know, the GBL is an upstart independent minor league based in the West Coast. There are teams in Long Beach, Fullerton, Chico, San Diego and Yuma- just to name a few. Former major leaguers included Rickey Henderson, Darrell Evans, Terry Kennedy and Garry Templeton. 2005 was its inaugural season.

Anyway, the first game I saw was between the Long Beach Armada vs. the Samurai Bears’. Now, my first thought was, "who are the Samurai Bears?" I would soon find out that they where a traveling group of all Japanese Baseball players. How cool is that? Furthermore, they were coached by former major leaguer Warren Cromartie.

So, this morning I got an email from the GBL highlighting a documentary that was filmed about the Samurai Bears. They played in 90 games over a 96 day period and went through the trials and tribulations you would expect a team to go through during a season that busy.

From the email:

The film, starring Samurai Bears’ team manager and ex-major leaguer Warren Cromartie, chronicles the on and off field exploits of the Samurai Bears as they compete in the 2005 Golden Baseball League season as the first ever all-Japanese team to participate as a regular member of a U.S. professional sports league. The Samurai Bears competed as a traveling team playing 90 games on the road in 96 days across California and Arizona. Cromartie, a legend in his playing days for Japan’s Yomiuri Giants, now is in a reversed role as he skippers 25 Japanese players competing in a professional baseball league in a foreign land.

Narrated by Cromartie and GBL President Amit Patel, the film chronicles early difficulties by the team on the field, language and cultural miscommunications, a prima donna slugger, and a translator struggling with the pressure – all set against a classic minor league baseball backdrop of small towns, long bus rides, and hero-worshipping groupies. The Samurai Bears eventually find a groove on the field and end up chasing the record for the most single-season wins by a minor league traveling team. Along the way, the team also learns about America, masters new and colorful baseball vernacular in several languages, and shows a depth of dedication, passion and joy for the game that makes it very obvious that this is not just America’s national pastime.

The film will have its premier this weekend during the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Saturday, February 3rd at 7:30PM.

If you have a chance go and check it out- and let me know how it is. I won't have a opportunity to go out there so I'll probably have to wait for NetFlix. Santa Barbara is a long drive for me.

SB Film Festival Link:

GBL Link:

More Photos From Leland's Auctions

Leland's just seems to have an incredible stockpile of press photos just waiting to be unearthed.

Below is an incredible photographic reenactment of the capture and shooting of John Dillinger.

"Superimposed on the photo image of the notorious Chicago street corner are the hand drawn images of the participants in this real-life crime drama."

Dillinger Wire Photo Link:

Of course, no auction is complete without a healthy dose of Dodger history. Emmett Kelly, hired by O'Malley to entertain the Brooklyn faithful, is shown below performing his "clean up man at bat" routine at Dodgertown in Vero Beach in 1957. Roy Campanella is behind the plate.
Dodger Clown Link:

Here is a great photo of one of the most famous brawls to ever explode on a Baseball field. Juan Marichal, taking exception to being buzzed by a throw from John Roseboro, let's his bat do the talking- and I don't mean he knocked a homer to show up the Dodgers. Instead, he takes his bat and proceeds to pummel Roseboro. Johnny is stunned and seen sprawled on the ground ready to tackle his assailant, Juan is being held back by the umpire with bat in hand and Sandy looks shocked as he heads towards home plate. What a game this must have been.
Marichal/ Roseboro Fight Link:

Since yesterday was Jackie's birthday it wouldn't be right to not highlight some great Jackie photos. Below is Jackie receiving his Silver Slugger award in 1949 from Ford Frick. My favorite part about this picture is the guy with the funny hat. Where'd he get that? And how about that bloke with the glasses and the giant grin. He thinks he's a star.
Jackie and his Silver Slugger Link:

Below is a 1947 photo during Spring Training in Cuba showing Jackie, wearing a Montreal Royals jersey, meeting his future manager Leo Durocher.
Durocher & Jackie Link:

A reflective and dejected Robinson sits in the clubhouse after a 4-2 loss to the Yankees in the 1952 World Series. This was the third time Jackie and the Dodgers failed to win the crown against the hated Yanks. All Jackie could say was, "they didn't miss Joe DiMaggio, it was that Mantle, that Mickey Mantle killed us."
Jackie Robinson having a Coke Link:

Leland's Auction House Link:

Tommy Speaks the Truth!

Oh how I miss those weekend afternoon pep talks with Tommy Lasorda on the television. He would mold my impressionable mind with stories of the great Dodger in the sky and the moral righteousness of Dodger Blue. It is his fault I'm a rabid unapologetic die-hard Dodger fan.

So, I'm happy to report that the great preacher of Chavez Ravine hasn't lost a step. From the LA Times.

Tom Lasorda served as the master of ceremonies at the 82nd annual Assn. of Professional Ball Players of America banquet Saturday night in Long Beach.

Lasorda spotted Gerald Pickens, head of the Compton Baseball Academy Teams youth program, in the audience wearing an Angels jacket.

"I would appreciate it if the guy with the Angels jacket would get out of here," Lasorda said. "The only Angels are ex-Dodgers and they're all in heaven."

That's right! Welcome to a Blue Heaven!

Happy Birthday Jackie!

I wanted to take this time to mention that today is Jackie Robinson's 88th birthday.

Also, other Hall of Fame Birthday's on this day include Ernie Banks and Nolan Ryan.

Other birthdays include the Sex Pistols frontman, Johnny Rotten.

eBay Find: Old Pittsburgh Crawford Photo Album

One Word.

"WOW!"

This is probably the most incredible baseball related find, not owned by a dealer, I've seen on eBay ever. The pictures are absolutely incredible.

This appears to be a late 1920's early 1930's photo album highlighting the early birth of the now famous Negro League team Pittsburgh Crawfords. Unbelievable!

What is great about the item is that it shows the team before it became the professional league team it is now famous for. When the Crawfords were a town-ball team. Before the time when stars like James "Cool Papa" Bell, Oscar Charleston, Josh Gibson, Judy Johnson and Satchel Paige played for them.
As Ryan Cristoff states on the Vintage Baseball Card Forum, (btw, he runs the CubanBaseballCard.com website)

"They really seem to capture the essence of the Negro Leagues. The fans in the background, the buildings, the condition of the fields, the guys in street clothes pitching."

I am awe struck too.

Some noted experts on the Vintage Baseball Card Forum say that no one of significance is portrayed here, but I swear the guy in the middle picture above is a young Josh Gibson. (he's the guy taking a swing with a bat."
Anyway, I had to point this auction out. It is absolutely incredible.

eBay Auction Link: EBay: (linked fixed)

Hat Tip: Vintage Baseball Card Forum:

Lelands-Gaynor Auction

Lelands-Gaynor is back with its January Auction that includes some great press/ wire photos.

My favorite Dodger photograph is of Jackie Robinson punting his glove. No doubt he misses his days as a star football player at UCLA. Harry Houdini, in 1922, makes a harrowing escape from from a straight jacket in Washington DC. Bill Gates is the richest nerd in the world. This prescient photo tells us all about it.