Dodgers Outfielder Nick Chili Buss Makes Topps 2013 AAA All-Star Team

With the winter season upon us all we can do is speculate about future deals, and count the awards that will be coming the Dodgers way.  

Fortunately, after years of practice I've become practically immune to the inane rumblings of the chattering class.  So, unsubstantiated rumors and potential trades hardly cause the heartburn it did when I was a younger lad - with exception of the recent Price rumors that had me quivering from the stupidity.  

As for year-end awards, all I can do is wait for their announcements.  We got shut out on the Gold Glove front, but that's small potatoes compared to whats coming down the pike.  (Cy Young, anyone)  From here on, we are likely to see a progressive number of awards and accolades that could make a grown man blush.

This morning we find out that Dodgers AAA outfielder Nick Buss, who was called up late this season for the first time in his career, was named to the MiLB and Topps 2013 AAA All-Star Team.  Per a report at MiLB.

Nick Buss (27) of Southfield, Mich., finished the season as the Pacific Coast League's leader in RBIs (100). He also finished in the top 10 in hits (139), runs (84), slugging percentage (.525) and OPS (.888). The Albuquerque Isotopes outfielder also hit 11 triples, good for second in the PCL. The Los Angeles Dodgers selected Buss in the eighth round of the 2008 Draft.

Congrats, Nick... Or is Chili more appropriate?

Nick is more affectionately known as Chili.  Not because it's a nickname, but because it's his actual real name.  Really, his middle name is Chili, and he was named after ballplayer Chili Davis.

Below are his professional stats, via Baseball Reference.  He recorded his first MLB hit in his 2nd at-bat on Saturday, September 14th in a game against the Giants.  It was a single through the hole between 1st and 2nd base against Tim Lincecum.

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Sharefest Honored Clayton and Ellen Kershaw on Saturday - Watch a Video

Sharefest celebrated their 10th Anniversary this past weekend with a gala event that featured Clayton and Ellen Kershaw as Honorary Chairs.  This group is a community driven organization that focuses on mentoring, volunteerism and establishing relationships with community leaders.

With a vision to create an imprint of lasting positive change in our community, Sharefest began as a simple idea to leverage a community’s assets through the creation of working coalitions, growing local leaders, equipping interested youth and fostering volunteerism utilizing established community organizations. Rather than just coming in from the outside and encourage a community to be a consumer of services, Sharefest collaborates with communities to help themselves, developing ownership.

Thankfully a reader (Thanks, Cathy!) was able to pass along some photos and video that you can see below.

Saturday's dinner exceeded their fundraising goal of $250,000.00 by $5,000.00.  So, in addition to being a great time, they also gained some needed funds to continue their mission.  BTW, Kershaw's Challenge chose Sharefest as one of the charities that they support.  In fact they

Set a goal to expand Sharefest’s Youth Development Academy (YDA) to another continuation high school.

Clayton and Ellen Kershaw visited a Sharefest YDA at Cal State Dominguez Hills earlier this year in order to provide kids with Baseball and life advice.  Watch a video of that event here.

Below are some photos from Saturday's dinner.  Go to the Sharefest website to learn about this great organization.

Here is Steve Lyons with Michael Haupt.  I don't care what anyone says, I like Steve Lyons.

Below is Ellen Kershaw (on the right) with a young lady who sang at the dinner.  Unfortunately, I do not have her name.

Clayton Kershaw works the crowd below.

Watch Clayton and Ellen Kershaw speak to the gathered crowd at the Sharefest Dinner this past Saturday, below.

Video Link:

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Blog Kiosk: 11/5/2013 - Dodgers Links - Garvey & Tommy John on HOF Ballot, Goodbye Elian and Kershaw Chosen as Best NL Pitcher by Peers

The photo above is a great 1953 vintage press photo issued by International News Photos showing some Brooklyn Dodgers diving for cover during a Spring Training game at Vero Beach.  Pic found via eBay.  George Shuba, Ben Wade and coach Jake Pitler cover up.  Is that Roy Campanella in his catcher gear?

• Former Dodgers Tommy John, Joe Torre and Steve Garvey make the list of 12 finalist comprising the 2014 Expansion Era ballot for the Hall of Fame consideration.  The Hall of Fame story can be seen here. Marvin Miller is also on the ballot.  Hopefully, he finally gets in.
• Dodger infielder Elian Herrera has been claimed by the Brewers, via @Dodgers on twitter.  There are now 32 players on the Dodgers 40-man roster.

Today, Elian Herrera was claimed off waivers by the Milwaukee Brewers.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) November 4, 2013

• Panini's 2013 Prizm Perennial Draft Picks Baseball arrives tomorrow, so Panini released some preview pics to gawk over.  Check out a Joc Pederson and Zach Lee cards below.

• Via Chris Olds at Beckett, "Topps Ultimate Chase Ticket lets father and son enjoy Los Angeles Dodgers’ postseason run".

Thanks to the Topps Ultimate Chase Ticket, Alan Tavelman and his 14-year-old son, Zach, got tickets to every postseason game for their selected team, the Dodgers, after they found one of 10 tickets inside a box of 2013 Topps. The ticket was good for a signed bat — and then a spot in a drawing to win a postseason pass for a team of their choice, which they won.

“At first my son and I were not sure what it was,” said Alan, 53, of Porter Ranch, Calif. “Then we actually read the ticket and we were very excited and could not believe that we actually had one.”

• Via Eric Stephen at True Blue LA, "2013 MLB free agents: No Dodgers receive qualifying offers". Eric does a great job of explaining what this all means.
• True to the Blue shares a couple of great auction wins; including a Dodger pennant flag that once flew at Wrigley Field.  I love this flag!
• Via Tony Jackson at Dodger Scribe, "Clayton Kershaw named National League Outstanding Pitcher" by the Players' Choice awards.
• This is for Walking Dead fans.  Comic Book Movie.com shares the back story on Michonne; which was originally printed this month in Playboy.

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Some Great Vintage Dodgers' Photos on eBay - Ruth, Jackie and the Shot Heard 'Round the World

It's been awhile since I've looked around eBay for some interesting Dodgers' collectibles.  I just haven't taken the time to do any window shopping, if you will, so when I got a notice from HYee Auctions that they had a large group of vintage photographs and negatives for sale I immediately decided to take a gander.  And, I am so glad I did. 

They had a ton of Dodger's stuff that closed this past weekend; with more closing in the next day or so.  Below are some of my favorites.  BTW, I didn't win anythings... which kinda annoys me... prices got way too high on some of the better stuff... Oh, well.

Here is a original 1938 photographic negative of Babe Ruth as a Brooklyn Dodgers as captured by George Burke. Babe Ruth is with two men identified by Burke as John McDonald and Ed Zectner. This negative sold for $79.00.

(auction link)

If you've seen the Jackie Robinson movie that came out earlier this year, called "42", then you know a bit about the below photo.  Here is an original Type 1 press photo of the infamous photo of Jackie Robinson and Phillies coach Ben Chapman playing nice.  Per the auction description:

Chapman vehemently oppose integration of whites and blacks in baseball with several controversial statements. In an early Dodgers-Phillies series in Brooklyn, Chapman’s southern prejudices reared its ugly head. The level of verbal abuse directed by Chapman and his players at Robinson reached such proportions that it made headlines in the New York and the national press. Chapman instructed his pitchers, whenever they had a 3-0 count against Robinson, to bean him rather than walk him harmlessly! As it turned out, Chapman's attempts to intimidate Robinson backfired with the Dodgers rallying behind Robinson, and there was increased sympathy for him in many circles. The backlash against Chapman was so severe that he was forced to pose in a photo with Robinson as a conciliatory gesture when the two teams next met in Philadelphia in May. This incident prompted Dixie Walker - a teammate of Robinson's - to comment, "I never thought I'd see old Ben eat sh*t like that.”

This photo sold for an incredible $849.00.  Wow!

(auction link)

(auction link)

The below photo is sad, but is also poignant.  After Bobby Thompson whacked his shot heard 'round the world, pitcher Ralph Branca can be seen walking back to the Dodgers clubhouse sulking in the moment.  This photo sold for $260.00.

(auction link)

Following up on the photo above.  Here is a 1951 press photo featuring a sign that says, "No razor blades sold to Brooklyn fans until Sunday night.  Giant fans help yourself".  From the description attached to the photo:

Larry Pearlman, manager of a news stand at LaGuardia Airfield, refuses to sell razor blades to fellow Dodger fan Donald Smith after he found out Smith's Baseball loyalties.

This photo is still on auction and closes tonight.

(auction link)

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Some Phenomenal Baseball Memorabilia at Hunt Auctions

Last week, I was busy sharing some of my favorite Dodgers' items available for sale through Hunt Auctions.  It's the 10th Anniversary of their Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory auction, so there was plenty to share.  I showed some great Dodger art, Dodgers memorabilia, and a vintage Jackie Robinson photo.  Today, I point to some non-Dodger memorabilia that stuck out to me.

Joe Sewell is one of the greatest batsman to ever play the game.  He batted a career .312 in 14 Major League seasons, and was elected in the Hall of Fame in 1977.  Sewell is noted for for striking out only 114 in 8,333 career plate appearance.  So, he might very well be the best contact hitter the game has ever seen.  Featured below is a Ty Cobb professional model bat given to Sewell (by Cobb) in 1925.  This expected to sell for a small fortune.

(auction link)

The next item is very unusual.  It is Joe Sewell's bronzed cleats.  It has recently been removed from the auction in order to be placed within a museum dedicated to Sewell at the University of Alabama.  It' great to hear that such a great Baseball artifact will find a home in a place for all to see.

(auction link)

Here is a circa 1912 photograph taken by Paul Thompson of the pitching hand of Hall of Famer Christy Mathewson.

(auction link)

Did you know that Roberto Clemente was a member of the Marine Corps Reserves?  Well, below is a photo to prove it.  The pic is from 1958.  Clemente spent 6 months on active duty at Parris Island and Camp LeJeune.  In basic he gained weight and strength that alleviated back problems he had experienced as a young adult.

(auction link)

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Blog Kiosk: 10/4/2013 - Dodgers Links - Seager, Pederson, Ryu and Puig

The Red Sox had their parade this past weekend.  Above is my favorite photo from the event.  It's the World Series trophy at the Boston Marathon finishing line.  Pic via twitter @basciobroadcasting.

• Tony Jackson at Dodger Scribe recaps the Arizona League Fall-Stars Game played on Saturday that included Dodger prospects Corey Seager and Yimi Garcia.
• Former Dodger Brad Ausmus to be named the new manager of the Detroit Tigers, via Mark Townsend at Big League Stew.
• Via Quinn Roberts and Andrew Simon at MLB.com, "Winter League roundup: Pederson shows off power".
• Via Allkpop, "'Running Man' releases preview with Ryu Hyun Jin, EXO and Yoon Suk Min!"  There's a video of some sort of Korean game show with Ryu.  A video of the episode can also be found here at Daily Motion.
• The 2013 Toronto Fall expo card show is coming up this weekend and Panini shared some preview pics of their promo cards that they will be giving away.  This show typically featured hockey collectibles, but Panini has included a Yasiel Puig card for fans to gawg over.  Check out a pic below, and see the other cards here.

• JG Preston notes that Bill Sharman wasn't actually ejected from that infamous 1951 ballgame.  Instead he, and his other Dodger teammates, were merely kicked out of the dugout.
• Baseball Pinback Buttons shares a rare Brooklyn Brown Dodgers pin - a Negro League team once owned by O'Malley.
• Tim Dierkes at MLB Trade Rumors shares his, "2014 Top 50 Free Agents With Predictions".  He has the Dodgers getting Japanese starter Masahiro Tanaka.
• Via Dusty at Sons of Steve Garvey, "Dia de Los Dodgers".
• Bob Lemke shares a fascinating article about Jackie Robinson, "Sobriety, decorum urged on Robinson's fans".

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