Blog Kiosk: 6/25/2011

The Dodgers ready the field for todays Dodger Photo Day. Pic via Joe Block on TwitPic.

• The Congressional Hispanic Caucus tells McCourt to pound sand, via Bill Shaikin.
• To little, too late? McCourt show a willingness to sell a portion of the team, MLB Trade Rumors.
• Edgar visited Jamey Carroll at a Hyundai dealership and got a couple of auto's, at My Autograph Signings.
• DodgerBobble introduces us to MLB Bobblehead Pros from 2K Sports. He's got a great video. And yes, it's a Baseball video game where the players are bobbleheads. Just brilliant!
• Panini shares some pics from the recently concluded NHL Draft in Minneapolis.
• LA Kings unveil their new road jersey for next season, via Inside the Kings, at the 2011 Draft in Minneapolis.
• Ted Sobel interviews LA Kings new Center Mike Richards.
• Check this out. It's a video from This Week in Sports where they feature their segment called, "When Athletes Act Like Kids."

Video Link:

Daily Conlon: 73 through 81

Here are the Daily Conlon cards numbered 73 through 81. They feature some great portraits of players long forgotten.

Comorosky looks like he knows his days in the Majors are numbered, while Oscar Ski Melillo couldn't be happier to just be at the game. And what's with that name, Ski? Did you have hippy parents? Actually, it's a grammar school nickname that stuck for his entire life. Fortunately, he didn't just have one moniker. To prove that Baseball has the greatest nicknames, Ski's other name was "Spinach." I'm sure you're wondering, why "Spinach?" Well, Melillo had Bright's Disease which is a fatal kidney ailment that can bring about back pain, vomiting and, get this, testicular pain. Ouch! To cure himself Ski only ate Spinach, every day, 3 times a day.

“They told me to eat nothing but spinach for the next few months if I wanted to live,” he said. “I tried to talk them into letting me have a steak, spaghetti, ravioli, or goulash once in a while, but they said nothing doing. When I told them I couldn’t stand the monotony of spinach three times a day, they told me I could have some variety by boiling it for breakfast, making a salad of it for lunch, and baking it for dinner.” The Sporting News, November 30, 1963

I guess you can say he was Popeye before Popeye was Popeye. To add to his misery, Ski Melillo was also zoophobic, which is a general fear of animals. That's right, he was afraid of all animals, particularly rabbits, birds and snakes.

Steve Soboroff Leaves the Ship

He leaves the Ship of Fools, that is. Steve Soboroff, the man who McCourt brought in to improve the fan experience and strengthen the Dodgers ties to the community has just jumped ship, so says Bill Shaikin.

(TwitPic Link)

Things just got more bleak for the embattled Dodger owner. Soboroff is a politician and he knows very well its best to leave early before everything come crashing down.

(Hat Tip: 6-4-2)