My Coliseum Pics

Below are a handful of pics I took on Saturday for the Coliseum game against the Red Sox. Unfortunately, I didn't take a lot of pictures. See my photoalbum here. I guess you can say that I was in awe of the entire spectacle. Have no fear though, check out Dodgers Thoughts for some great pictures on the website and on their Flickr page.

Historically Important Robinson Item to be Auctioned

Jackie Robinson faced an uphill climb when it came to racial equality in his own life. We all know about the screaming and derisive comments he heard from opposing players and fans during games. Even in Vero Beach Jackie, along with Don Newcombe and other black players, couldn't leave Dodgertown for fear of racial animosity within the city. In many ways Dodgertown became a prison for them. The daily grind and mental shield they had to have is hard to imagine today.

An incident that may be foreign to a lot of folks is Jackie's military past that brushed upon the question of race and gave us an early glimpse at a future leader in race relations. In 1944 Jackie was given a court martial.

A second lieutenant in the United States Army serving at Camp Hood during World War II, Robinson was brought up on charges of insubordination over a racially charged incident on a U.S. Army bus. The verbal altercation with a white driver occurred when the Robinson stopped to talk with a female passenger halfway down the aisle and was ordered to proceed to the back of the bus. Such a directive was against Army policy. Nevertheless, Robinson was court martialed. He was later acquitted and petitioned for a discharge, which was granted honorably by the Army.

Below is one of several court documents that will be available for auction in Memory Lane's April offering.

The lot includes file copies of the legal documents and transcripts associated with the court martial. The documents, one of which contains Robinson's hand-written initials noting a change in his testimony, chronicle the event.

Hat Tip: SCD:

Juan Out, Andre In

Torre takes charge and makes Andre Ethier our starting left fielder. This may be the most important decision Joe makes this season. Ethier is poised to break out this year and may establish himself as one of the leagues better hitters. I see him, at a minimum, being our version of a younger Garrett Anderson. On the other hand, it's hard to believe Juan Pierre could excel in his new a role as a pinch hitter. Tony Jackson broke the story and adds,

"Torre said there also could still be a last-minute trade."

It sounds like something may be in the works. Who's crossing their fingers? Imagine the offensive production we could have with Kemp, Jones and Ethier in the outfield.

In other news, Chan Ho Park is going to Las Vegas and is expected to be the first call up.

Story Link: Tony Jackson:

UPDATE: It appears the trade talk is for a 3B/Utility infielder. Clarified by Diamond Leung Kevin Pearson.

Weekly Blog Kiosk 3/30/2008

And the battle for the pennant begins.

• Baseball plans to end the 68 year tradition of the Hall of Fame Game in Cooperstown after the 2008 season. Some fans have gotten together to try to save the game. Check out Save the Hall of Fame Game website.
• Jeff Findley has some great Dodger related photos on his website.
• Eric Neel writes about the power of Torre.
• Mike from Mike Scioscia's Tragic Illness writes a 2008 Dodger Preview for LA Taco.
• Ricky O'Donnell creates a Top Ten Future Stars of Professional Sports List. Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish is #1. He's a name to remember.
• Brent Shyer writes about the Dodgers first game in LA at Walter O'Malley.com.

AP/World Wide Photo

• Andruw Jones is now a blogger.
• Go Dodgers Blog got her season tickets and is visibly jazzed. She even post pictures of the tickets, parking pass (now I'm jealous) and a tote bag freebie for season ticket holders.
• Steve Finley Was Here picks the card of the week and it's former Dodger outfielder Henry Rodriguez.
• Dan Bretta shares some vintage photos he was able to pick-up directly from the photoalbum of former Brooklyn Robin/Dodgers star Dazzy Vance. These date from 1923. See Brooklyn Robins catcher Charlie Schmidt below. Notice the Brooklyn club flag on the top left.

UPDATE: I can't believe I forgot to mention this. Sunshine shares her pics from Fridays game against Boston. She has tons of pics. Then she post a challenging Dodger quiz. How many can you get right?

Random Dodger Pics

You gotta love the internet. When you can't make the game- no worries- there are sure to be photos you can find.

SB Todd had the choice seats yesterday.

Pic Link: SB Todd on Flickr:

Pic Link: SB Todd on Flickr:

Orange Wheeeee! was in China for the Dodger game and was kind enough to share some pics with all of us.

Pic Link: Orange Wheeeee! on Flickr:

Pic Link: Orange Wheeee! on Flickr:

Pic Link: Orange Wheeeee! on Flickr:

GMBM took some great pictures during the Dodger vs Red Sox game yesterday. Check them out below.

Pic Link: GBMB on Flickr:

Pic Link: GMBM on Flickr:

Barney Stein's New Book

Nostalgia is as thick as fog these days. The Dodgers are celebrating their 50th Anniversary in Los Angeles this year with a game at their original ballpark in the Coliseum. Dodger Stadium is going through a complete face lift, complete with new concessionaires. Dodgertown is no more as the team removed itself from one of the last reminders of its Brooklyn heritage. Fortunately, the past is not all lost. The family of Barney Stein, the long-time official photographer for the Brooklyn Dodgers, just released a book of their fathers great photos. Go to their website for more info.

Barney, only 5-foot-4, was known as “the spry little guy with the camera.” He was the embodiment of perpetual motion, on the field and in the photographers’ box suspended between home plate and first base or in the locker room.

...

He not only taught me photography, but I learned about the strong emotions of the game and friendships among the players and those associated with the team.

In those days the Dodgers were like an extended family, and his photo archives are like a family album. It was a time when the fans walked the players home, win or lose, and the players would willingly sign autographs and pose for photos with their adoring fans. Major League Baseball blogger Derek Savage recently wrote: “They were the only team in MLB history to be named for a neighborhood rather than a city or state. It was all about community. The Dodgers were family; a metaphor for life in America. In the 1950s, the Brooklyn Dodgers were America.”

Below is Ralph Branca after his pitch to Bobby Thompson.

Barney-Stein Photography Website:
Story Link: Naples News:
Hat Tip: Sports Collectors Daily:

Dodgers Auctioning Game Used Jerseys from Coliseum Game

The Dodgers are going all out for ThinkCure. Not only are the game proceeds going to the charity, but it will broadcast a telethon on KCAL (Call 866-554-CURE) during the game and will be auctioning off the players game-used uniforms for ThinkCure. Click here to bid.

Each jersey will be autographed by the player or coach who wore the jersey, and will include a special ThinkCure patch on one sleeve and a 50th Anniversary patch on the opposite sleeve... ThinkCure was launched in July 2007 by the Los Angeles Dodgers, the McCourt family, City of Hope, and Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. ThinkCure is a charity whose purpose is to raise funds to support cancer research, and whose mission is to find a cure for cancer.

Story Link: LA Dodgers:
To Bid on Jerseys Click Here:

Leland's March Auction

Leland's is about to conclude their most recent auction this weekend, and it includes several choice items I think Dodger fans (and Baseball fans in general) might enjoy seeing.

Below is a press telephoto from UPI celebrating Bill Singer's no hitter on July 20, 1970. The Dodgers beat the Phillies 5 to 0 and Singer accomplished every boys dream. What I find amazing about this photo is the use of the term "no-no" on the scoreboard. In fact, the term was just coined by Pirate pitcher Doc Ellis just one month before (June 20, 1970) when he threw a no hitter against the Padres.

"The Pirates were clinging to their 1-0 lead. Dock was staring at the scoreboard when he realized he'd pitched hitless ball for seven innings. He smacked Cash on the arm.

"Hey, look," said Dock, pointing at the scoreboard. "I've got a no-no going!"

Cash gave him a blank look. "A no-no?" asked Cash. He'd never heard the term before. But Cash wanted to keep the pitcher loose and happy, so he smiled and said nothing.

As some of you know, this event has become infamous. Ellis claimed years later, in 1984, that he was under the influence of LSD at the game. Anyway, Ellis is known as the inventor of the word, and it has stuck for nearly 40 years. Heck, just one month after his amazing feat it had became a normal part of Baseball lexicon as evidenced by the picture below. It's amazing how quickly slang phrases can spread.
Auction Link: Leland's March '08 Lot#198.

Below is a Type IV press wire photo of Babe Ruth sleeping in the laundry basket. After an afternoon of hot dogs, beer and Baseball Ruth passes out dead tired. I can imagine him bellowing, "just push me to the bus!"
Auction Link: Leland's March '08 Lot#236:

Collection: 1963 Dodgers Pin-Ups

The 1963 Dodger Pin-Ups is one of the more unusual Dodger collectibles out there, and they happen to be my favorite of all oddball Dodger sets. They were sold at Dodger stadium during the 1963 season and feature 10 Dodger players. The cards measure about 8x10 and have a photo of the players large head sitting atop a cartoon body. The object was to cut out the players (they are perforated), take a piece of string and attach to the head, and hang them on the ceiling. It's like a grown-up version of a baby crib hanging mobile. All you need is a spinning device and the immortal words of Kirk Gibson screaming. "How sweet is it! The Fruits of Victory!"
Of the 10 different players my favorite is the Maury Will. Yes, he could fly. Check out the remaining 8 cards from the set by clicking my photoalbum link below.
Photoalbum: 1963 Dodger Pin-Ups Pics:

Dodger Love

I know you love the Dodgers and LA Times knows it too. They have a great list of 50 ways to love the boys in Blue, and I feel lucky to have been mentioned in their article. Thank you Cindy and Kevin for including Blue Heaven. If you are arriving here for the first time, welcome!

The Last of My Spring Training Photos

Sorry for the delay in posting these photos. My last day in Arizona was this past Saturday. I had a late evening flight arranged so that we could make the Dodgers vs. Angels game in Phoenix. I was surrounded by red, but the Blue was more vocal. Derek Lowe looked great and appears ready for the season. Unfortunately, our relief staff continued to falter. Saito did not look good out there.

Below is Derek Lowe pitching in the first inning.

Hu's on Third! Sorry I had to do it.

Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport is one of the nicest facilities I've ever visited. There are more shopping and dining activities available here than many local malls. The highlight of my 2 hour wait, other than chatting with a Giants fans at a nearby watering hole, was when I stumbled into a small art gallery consisting of artworks owned by the airport. Imagine my surprise when I noticed Jackie Robinson and Kirk Gibson in the corner of my eye.
This place was a nice distraction. My short 2008 Spring Training adventure was coming to an end and this place was a nice way to end the trip.
My Spring Training Photoalbum:

YouTube: Ron Stilanovich- Hardball made easy with Kemp and Ethier

Career minor leaguer, Ron Stilanovich, can teach you how to play while making you laugh. In two videos below he convinces Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier to assist him. This is some good stuff. A must see. I can't stop laughing.

Matt Kemp is helping catchers block the plate: "That's why they call me the Bison."


YouTube Link: ScrappyRon1:

Andre Ethier hits sky-high fly balls in the sun: "Oh! I got it."


YouTube Link: ScrappyRon1:

Weekly Blog Kiosk 3/23/2008

Let's Go Dodgers! clap*clap*clapclapclap

• SOSG interviews Will Carroll.
• Roberto knows what's important. Dodger Stadium is about to have some new culinary choices. Say hello to Canter's Deli, Beasley's, Camacho's Cantina and Ruby's Diner.
• Scragtop88 captures Andre Ethier pondering his future in the outfield below.
  

• If your going to the coliseum game then you are probably in need of some parking help. Check out Jon's Dodger Thoughts comments section for some help. For other info go here.
  
• This coming Saturday is National Baseball Card Day.
• If your going to New York this year be sure to check out The Iroquois Indian Museum in Howes Cave. They have an exhibit called “Baseball’s League of Nations: A Tribute to Native American Baseball Players.” hat tip: SCD:
• With all of the problems facing China and the upcoming Olympics now they have to deal with Westerners distaste for squat toilets.
  

YouTube: How Sweet It Is. The Fruits of Victory!

Watch Tommy Dance.


YouTube Link: DC8super63:

Carl Erskine playing the national anthem on his harmonica at the Dodgers last game at Dodgertown.


YouTube Link: ogre52:
Hat Tip: The Trolley Dodger:

Spring in Arizona

Today was a historic moment. The Dodgers played their first cactus league game in Arizona and ended up routing the White Sox 8 to 2. Good Times.

Furcal hit a monstrous homer to left in the third inning while Penny pitched an effective 6 innings. The Dodgers put the game away in the seventh inning when they scored 5 runs on the back of Kemp's three run homerun. Unfortunately, Saito and Broxton looked a bit shaky in their one inning stints, but, for know, I'm not worried. The sun was shinning and the realization that the Dodgers will be just a 5 hour drive away next Spring made me smile a bit. Sure, I'm gonna miss the charm of Dodgertown, but imagine the upside. The Dodgers are closer to home. My hope is that Dodgertown of the West maintains the charm and closeness experienced in Vero Beach.

Check out my photoalbum featring photos from this Spring.

Above is the first pitch of the game, and the first Dodger pitch in Arizona.

Brad Penny pitching in the first inning.

Saito in his windup.

An added bonus to this short Spring trip is that I had a chance to see my first Kings game outside of Southern California tonight. The Phoenix Coyotes have owned the Kings all year, having gone unbeaten in this seasons previous 6 games. As luck would have it, the Kings scrapped a 6 to 5 win in overtime. How about that. Three LA teams win on the same day- the Dodgers, Kings and Lakers.
I'd like to send a special shout out to my Alma Mater. Congratulations to the CSU Fullerton Titans on winning the Big West and on their opportunity to play in the big show against Wisconsin. Unfortunately, their Cinderella bid ended before it could really start, but, as we Dodger fans know, championship teams aren't built overnight. It must be nurtured and built from the ground up and it seems the Titans are working on doing that. Maybe someday soon Fullerton will be known for more than their Baseball program.

Check out some more pics from the hockey game in my photoalbum.

Inge?

During this Spring there were rumors that the Dodgers were looking hard at Detroit's Brandon Inge. Since we appeared to have a couple of horses already vying for a spot at third base these rumors appeared baseless. Now, with the recent freak injuries to Nomar and LaRoche these rumors are sure to come back. The Detroit News picks up the story.

An injury to Dodgers third baseman Nomar Garciaparra has led to speculation that the team may be interested in the Tigers' Brandon Inge..."We'll continue to see if we can figure out (a replacement) from within or outside," general manager Ned Colletti said Wednesday.

Now, do we really want to do a trade? Is Inge the answer, or is he just an expensive temporary backstop? A competing Detroit newspaper, Detroit Free Press, counters The Detroit News.

If Brandon Inge is traded before Opening Day, it probably won’t be to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Dodgers intensified their internal discussions about adding an infielder after learning Wednesday that Nomar Garciaparra has a microfracture in his right hand, but Inge is not high on their list of trade targets.

Not surprisingly, his salary is the biggest reason.

Wow. Inge is owed $19.1 million til 2010. That's a lot of money.

Weekly Blog Kiosk: 3/16/2008

Like many Dodgers fans I'm arriving just a little late.

• I can't get enough of Peggy's pics on Flickr. she has some great photos from Dodgertown; included a very pudgy Andrew Jones.
• T.J. Simers visits Grady Little.

  "Sure, I'm walking away, but not running away. And I'm not saying I won't be back in baseball, but if I do come back, hopefully it will be somewhere around Ned Colletti."

• Ronzilla was at Vero and took photos of just about every inch of Dodgertown. Above is something you rarely see. It is the berm behind the left field fence at Holman Stadium. Have I told you how much I already miss this place?
• SCD let's us know about the autograph hunt in Arizona.
  
• Lasordaville! LA Dodger Talk is becoming a must read. Also, check his photos from the last day at Dodgertown.
• The rebirth of the hobby.
  

BTW, have I mentioned that I'm heading to Arizona tomorrow afternoon to catch some Dodger Spring games? Well, stay tuned. I'll be sure to post pictures as often as possible.

YouYube: Can I Have A Napkin?

I would love to run into this at my local food court.


YouTube Link: ImprovEverywhere:

Hat Tip: SI:

YouTube: Baseball Boogie

Big League Stew was able to corner a few of the former 1986 Dodgers recently to ask about the famous video. You gotta check it out. It's has some great quotes.

On Hershiser, Ken Howell said,

"Well, his name is Orel, so come on, what do you expect? When I look back at that video, I think, "What move was he really trying to make?" He was dancing like he had roaches in his pockets."

YouTube Link: choorel:

Story Link: Big League Stew:

Weekly Blog Kiosk 3/9/2008

This weeks favorite places to visit.

• Peggy has some great photos from Spring Training 2008.

• Mark Timmons of LA Dodger Talk is headed for Vero. I can't wait to see your pics.
  
• Cardboard Junkie reminds me of a book I've been meaning to read: Ball Four. Does anyone else have a Spring ritual like his?
• Dodger Sims studies Dodger steals.

  Ok, now what does all of this tell us. It says that Juan Pierre's base stealing exploits were worth nearly 6.8 runs or 0.648 wins last year. So while Juan Pierre is about 0.21 wins below "replacement level" as a left fielder his base running abilities are the only thing keeping him in the league.

• tagvestibule captures Don Mattingly.
• The Dodger blogroll just gets bigger. I've added Young Sports, Rockin' the Ravine and Guo Mania.
  
• Check out the Dodger podcast from the Tivens Brothers.
  
• Roberto lets us know about a Steve Garvey signing event in Southern California in April.
  
• NASA photographed, for the first time, an avalanche on Mars. This NASA website is one of my all time favorites. Go around and explore. They have a ton of really great videos.

YouTube: Vote for Joe Beimel!

Troy says vote for Joe Beimel.


YouTube Link: Troyfromwestvirginia:

A Braves reporter visits Dodgertown.


YouTube Link: dashsix:

Upper Deck threw a Super Bowl party and Russell Martin was on hand.

YouTube Link: UDVids:

Alyssa Milano gives up on ballplayers. I still have a chance.

YouTube Link: ufetta:

A story about a former Brooklyn Batboy.

YouTube Link: micetros:

Collection: Morrell Meats and More Postcards

As you can imagine, when the Dodgers landed in LA various promotional/ advertising items were created to take advantage of their popularity. One manufacturer was Morrell Meats. They produced 3 sets from 1959 to 1961 that can can be very difficult to come by today. There are the same size as Baseball cards of the time. I believe they were put in packages of hot dogs which might explain why they are usually found in rough condition. I wonder if Morrell Meats was the original Farmer John? Anyway, the below cards are from the 1960 set (i still need 6 more) and feature Dodger players before a game at the LA Coliseum. Check out my photoalbum of Morrell Meats cards here.

Don DrysdaleDon Drysdale Back

John Roseboro

Wally Moon

I added 12 more Dodger postcards into my photoalbum. Below are 2 of them. There is a 1963-64 Don Drysdale and 1966 "Sweet" Lou Johnson. See my photoalbum here.

YouTube: deezuleboy runs into Troyfromwestvirginia

The famous Troy spent the weekend at Dodgertown and runs into deezulboy. He's captured in 3 great videos. Language is explicit.

YouTube Link: Part 1:

Troy shows us Joe Beimel glove.

YouTube Link: Part 2:

This is a hilarious. Lance Carter meets the wrath of Troy.

YouTube Link: Part 3:

Auction Roundup: Mastro, CSA, MHCC,

Mastro auctions a timely lithograph from sports artist Bill Dawson. Produced in 1958, this drawing features the Brooklyn Dodgers "Bum" hitchhiking his way to the Dodgers new home at the Coliseum. Do you have your tickets for the upcoming March 29th game? I just got mine and I can't wait. This item sold for $150.00 and included another lithograph about the 1959 World Series.
Auction Link: Mastro:

Below is one of the rarest of all Jackie Robinson vintage collectibles, especially in this condition. This doll was created in 1950 and was sold only within the African-American community. It includes the very rare original tag and is in incredible condition. It rivals the doll I saw for sale in the famous Barry Halper collection about a decade ago. The only thing missing here is the original box. This doll sold for $890.00 earlier last month.
Auction Link: CSA:

Below is one of the rarest of all Baseball promotional items. I'll let Mile High Card Company describe it.

Presented is without question one of the rarest baseball collectibles ever issued as well as being one of the most visually appealing items to commemorate the immortal Joe Jackson. The offered collectible was issued by the George Frost Company of Boston, Massachusetts in what is widely considered to be their second offering of window store advertisements. Each of the 12 subjects from within the issue measures 4”x 8-1/4” and is printed on a thin cardboard stock displaying period lithography of the featured player... In our research we have found that there most likely is around a half dozen copies of this card known to exist.

It sold for an incredible $86,975.85.

Auction Link: MHCC:

Can you ever get enough of Babe Ruth in a Dodger uniform? Below is an original 1938 press photo from World Wide Photos that sold for $626.28.
Auction Link: MHCC:

Weekly Blog Kiosk

More links to wet your whistle.

• In case you haven't seen ESPN's Dodgertown tribute by Eric Neel click here. It's a must see!
• Saito experiences a calf strain, but he ask us not to worry.

  Just a note, everyone should not worry about me, and I appreciate reports.

• Tony Jackson praises Delwyn Young.

  What I can't figure out is how this guy has stayed under the radar for so many years while coming up through the minors. He can really play.

• It's time to give him his due. Maury Wills should be in the Hall of Fame and you can help.
  
• These guys have serious man-crush on Russell Martin. The R-Mart Authority.
  
• The Infamous Tatiana explains it so well. Ten Reasons Why I Love Baseball.
  
• Have you ever wanted to be a sports photographer? Well, Wax Heaven has a great interview with photographer Paul Gierhart. Also, check out his interview with photographer Jerry Hale last month.
• Great find Sunshine! The Phillies pull a Spring Training prank on Kyle Kendrick.

YouTube Link: DavidTyreeMVP:

• Do you remember this 80's commercial for Baseball stickers? Stalegum does.
  

YouTube Link: sentiendtrend:

• Stealing sports collectibles is becoming a disturbing trend. Sports Collectors Daily shares some recent stories.
• The 5 Wimpiest Sports Injuries of All Time.
• Topps and Donruss did some good deeds. Cincy Reds Cards recently shared his story about Katrina.

  My home of two weeks that I had wanted to buy for as long as I remember was washed away. Along with 25 years of collecting and a lifetime of momentos. All the Reds cards, photos, autos and stuff I had made a special room for (I was single) were gone. It was tough but you move on. About two weeks later the owner of Gulf Coast Sports Cards and Memorabilia in Biloxi, MS came to see me. Matt had written some companies after the storm about a few of us collectors and what we had lost. Matt came bearing gifts. From various card companies. Topps and Donruss had sent cases of baseball, football and basketball.

• I've added two new Dodger Blogs to the blogroll, Go Dodgers and Dodger Daydreams. Go check them out.