The Game when Durocher and Ott Circumvented Baseball Rules

You may have noticed recently that I've been including "This Day in Dodgers History" notes in my Daily Kiosk post.  For the most part I've been featuring rare feats and broken records tied to the Dodgers, but todays historical note failed to mention one incident that has had me scratching my head all morning. 

Frankly, I just don't know what to make of it.

Per the Dodgers own website they noted a game played against the hated NY Giants at Ebbets Field on September 1, 1944, and an strange incident that happened between the two managers - Leo Durocher of the Dodgers and Mel Ott of the Giants. 

In the second inning of the game Giants left fielder Joe Medwick (a future Hall of Famer and former teammate of Durocher with both the Gashouse Gang of St. Louis and the Dodgers) got struck in the elbow by a pitch and was in immense pain.  A Brooklyn Eagle article written by Harold Burr from the following day said this about it:

Joe Medwick was winged on the left arm by an errant pitch, Ducky Wucky went tearing around like a man beside himself, clutching his arm and writhing to the ground well down the third-base line.

Blog Kiosk: 9/1/2016 - Dodgers Links - Puig, Scully, Utley's Losing Bet with Seager and Andrew Toles

Wow!

Andrew Toles impresses me at every turn.  Via Ken Gurnick at MLB.com: 

"Andrew is a beautiful human," said Dave Roberts. "The guys have really taken to him. He's a heck of a ballplayer. His story and trek to the big leagues is amazing. Just as a baseball player, he's so calm and cool. A little bit of the naivete and not knowing how good the ballplayers are and the ballparks are and just going out there and playing like it's his backyard."

Last night Toles came up to the plate with two outs in the ninth inning and the bases loaded.  The Dodgers had been embarrassingly shutout, 7-0, by the Rockies just hours before, and were aching for something good to happen.  With the team down by two, Andrew Toles did his best to oblige.  He peered intently at Colorado reliever Adam Ottavino in that last at-bat and took a mighty swing at the second pitch of the exchange.  The ball floated and drifted towards deep left field, and despite initial impressions it did not land on safe ground.  Instead, it landed with a roar in the seats for a grand slam - Andrew's first of his career.

"I thought it was an out, but it went over the fence and we won," said Toles, who admitted he didn't expect to make such an immediate impact. "I just go up there, not try to think too much and make things happen."

It goes to show you that the old saying- "ignorance is bliss" - has its advantages.  You can listen to Toles talk about his evening here.  Photo above via @Dodgers on twitter.  Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodger History:  In 1890 the Bridegrooms (Dodgers) and Pittsburgh played the first ever triple-header at Brooklyn's Washington Park.  To the joy of those on hand the Bridegrooms swept Alleghenys.  In 1941 Dodger infielder Dolph Camilli hit his 200th career home run.  In 1969 Willie Davis tied a Dodgers franchise record by recording his 29th consecutive hit.  The record was originally set by Zach Wheat in 1916.

Weekend Autograph Opportunities: Kiké Hernandez, Howie Kendrick and Rob Segedin (UPDATE: and Andrew Toles)

Here are this weekends autograph opportunities and events throughout the Southland. As always, be sure to check the Blue Heaven Calendar for other events (a link can always be found on the tab at the top of this page, just left of center), and always confirm with the establishment. Everything is subject to change.  Please email me with any tips about upcoming events in Southern California.  As the rest of the week progresses I'll update this post with other events (if there are any) as I become aware of them.  Also, I don't always list every event below, so be sure to check my Calendar.  I always try to favor free signing events over paying events.  Click on any pic to embiggen.

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Kiké will be greeting and signing autographs for fans at a local Vons this coming Friday afternoon from 11:00 AM to Noon.

Vons
4520 Sunset Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90027

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Both Rob Segedin and Howie Kendrick will be at Ultimate Pastime Sports to sign autographs for fans.  Go here for more information.
Ultimate Pastime Sports
1614 South Carlos Avenue, Suite K
Ontario, CA 91761

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Andrew Toles will be signing at Bobblemania in Monterey Park on Saturday, September 3rd from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. (Hat Tip: Roberto at Vin Scully is My Homeboy)

BobbleMania
2334 South Atlantic Boulevard, Suite A
Monterey Park, CA 91754

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Blog Kiosk: 8/31/2016 - Dodgers Links - Puig, Newcombe, Kershaw and Last Nights Rain Delay

After waiting over 2.5 hours they finally postponed last night game due to rain, so both teams will face off against each other in a doubleheader today.  The first game will be at 12:10 PT with Ross Stripling pitching for the Dodgers and Tyler Anderson pitching for the Rockies.  The second game is slated to begin at 5:10 PT with Rich Hill pitching for the Dodgers and Jeff Hoffman pitching for the Rockies.  This is the Dodgers first twin-bill of the season.

In commemoration of last nights rain out I made the above two fantasy Baseball cards using the 2007 Topps Baseball card design and photos shared by the @Dodgers on twitter.  Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodger History:  In 1950 Gil Hodges became the fourth Major Leaguer to hit four home runs in a single game.  He also tied a Major League record for total bases in a game with 17.  In 1959 Sandy Koufax struck out 18 Giants batters to establish a new MLB record for strike outs in a nine-inning game.  In 2010 the Dodgers traded for pitcher Jon Garland.
• Happy Birthday, Hideo Nomo and Tom Candiotti!

2016 Bowman Platinum Baseball - The Dodgers Base Cards

Last week saw the release of a recently retired Topps brand as a Walmart exclusive set.  Available at Walmart stores only are boxes of Topps 2016 Bowman Platinum, and it includes everything you have come to expect from the set.  It is filled with a ton of prospects and puts them on an attractive looking card for the more discerning collector.  Go here for a complete checklist.

There are 100 cards in the base set, and five different Dodgers can be found within it.  See them below.  I hope to have pics of the various inserts in a few days.

#26 Julio Urias                                    #40 Corey Seager

Blog Kiosk: 8/30/2016 Dodgers Links - Puig, Bellinger and Adrian Gonzalez

Before the start of the misery that was yesterdays ballgame, Dodgers slugging first baseman Adrian Gonzalez spent the early afternoon enjoying the beauty and majesty of Denver's Downtown Aquarium, as evidenced by a pic he tweeted out.

As for the game, let's just forget all about it.  After all, we wasted a good start by Kenta Maeda.  He went five innings and gave up two earned runs on four hits - leaving the Dodgers still contention to take the game.  The Rockies scoring at that point was as an result of a two-run homer by Nick Hundley.  Per Ken Gurnick and Ben Weinrib at MLB.com:

"Overall I thought I pitched pretty well," said Maeda. "That one pitch, a slider, was definitely a mistake pitch. I always want to pitch longer, but that one pitch led to the team losing. It was very regrettable."

Frankly, it was a five run seventh inning by Colorado ruined it all.

"It got away from us," said Roberts. "I liked the matchup with Grant and we got a scoreless inning there. And this park, if you keep it close, you have a chance, but it just didn't go our way tonight."

Heck, when you only score a single run in Coors Field you are not likely to win. With the 8-1 loss the Dodgers now hold a precarious 1.5 game lead over the Giants.  Below are more links to check out:

• Today in Dodger History:  In 1952 former Dodger infielder Arky Vaughn dies in a fishing accident.  He drowned in a lake near Eagleville, CA when his boat capsized.  In 1953 Roy Campanella tied a NL record for RBI's by a catcher at 122.  He would finish the year with a Major League best 142 RBI's for a catcher.