Blog Kiosk: 8/4/2011

Some Dodgers with some wounded veterans from SoldierCare, via LADodgers twitter.

• Vanity Fair talks about the Dodger divorce.
  
• Versus to air “Out. The Glenn Burke Story.” It's a story about former Dodger Burke as the first openly gay ballplayer, via Critics Choice.
  
• Don Mattingley declares 2012 as the year for the Dodgers and Kings, via Mayors Manor.
  
• Check out this Australian's Dodger experience.
  
• Rubby De La Rose, the newest member of the Tommy John Club. Other Dodger members talk about it, via Ken Gurnick.

  "Kuo was a role model for all of us that have had the operation. We talked about him a lot, the guys going through it. We all admired what he went through. We've seen how he's battled to come back, and it makes you want to battle back, too."

• I had not realized how pervasive fake cards from China are. Check out Bad Wax's story about a Padre fan who was scammed on eBay and only realized they were fakes several years later when he tried to cash in.
  
• Foul Bunt goes to Cooperstown.
  
• I want to see more of this. SCD writes about the recent arrest on the floor of The National. This dealer knowingly sold uniforms known as non-game-used as game-used. The US Postal Service is involved which means potential federal penalties. I hope this provides a warning to other likekind dealers. Coach's Corner- I'm looking at you!
• Listen to the original Dodger Stadium organist, Helen Dell, play "Take Me Out to the Ballgame."

Video Link:

Missing The National

My desk is cramped, my chair is uncomfortable and my computer is too slow. These are the things I have to grapple with at work. Usually I don't care, but on this day (heck, the remainder of this week) these faults become amplified as I daydream about the going-ons at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago. Man... am I envious of the collectors in attendance.

Since I am missing the fun I figured I would cruise the internet and live, temporarily, through the eyes others. Check out some of these links and pics below from the yesterdays preview day at The National.

• Sports Collectors Daily has some videos from yesterday.
• Sports Collectors Daily also has some pics.
• Beckett joins in on the fun and post their own pics from Day 1.
• Becket already has pics from Day 2 here.
  
• Here are some pics from Panini from the show floor.
  

Heck, there was even an arrest on the show floor today. Apparently, he was selling jersey's he falsely claimed were worn by Pujols, McGwire and A-Rod. UPDATE: Here is the story from Sports Collectors Daily.

(Twitter Link)

Here are some photos I grabbed from twitter. If you want to check out what other collectors are saying and showing off on twitter go here, #NSCC.

The entrance to the National, via Andrew Tolentino of Beckett.

(pic link: lockerz)

Here is a pic from Panini at their display at the National. Check out those gold cards.

(Pic Link: yfrog)

This is the Dee Gordon wrapper redemption card available only today at The National

(Pic Link)

Best Group Break Haul Ever

Of the handful of group breaks I've participated in, this one has been my favorite. It's not because it's of some new product with a chance at something scarce. No, it's much better than that. This group break, put together by Dave at Indians Baseball Cards, focused on those junk cards from the 80's that I passed by without a second thought. They were ugly, worthless and undesirable back then, but have transformed into cards I've got to add to my collection. Sure, they aren't worth a lick, but they definitely are cool. And at $4.00 bucks for the Dodgers I figured I couldn't lose.

Check out this incredible haul of "Junk" cards below.

Here are some Dodgers from the 1983 Topps Foldouts set. They are about the size of a postcard and were attached like an accordion- to be pulled out with numerous photos of Baseball stars from the era. Pedro Guerrero, Rick Monday and Jerry Reuss are below.
Better yet, on the reverse side were other Major League stars; including Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski and super cheater Pete Rose.
This is a Steve Sax Topps Baseball Button.
Here are a bunch of more Dodger oddball cards. On the top left are 1985 Topps Rubdowns (tattoos) featuring Fernando Valenzuela and Steve Sax. Below that are 5 Dodger cards from the 1986 Fleer Star Sticker set, and to the right of those are Fleer team sticker cards. The best part about the Dodger team sticker cards is what's on the back.
On the reverse of the team sticker cards are these Baseball's Famous Feats cartoons.
Here is something I'm sure many fans passed by when collecting in the 80's. This is a box bottom card of the Dodger insignia.
These next two cards are ho-hum. They are just a couple of cards from the 1989 Bowman set- Mike Davis and a Jackie Robinson reprint filler card.