Blog Kiosk: 10/20/2011

Tommy and Wes Parker visit with a young patient at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. (Pic Link: yfrog Dodgers)

• Baseball Interactions hears from old-time former Dodger Mike Sandlock about Branch Rickey.
• Former Dodger Assistant GM Kim Ng will interview with the Angels for the open GM spot, via ESPN. Good luck Kim!
• Edgar met Ozzy Osbourne and writes all about it here.
• I say, burn it. A collector may have unearthed Bobby Thomson's game-used jersey from the 'shot heard around the world,' via ESPN.
• By deepest condolences to the family and friends of Cy Buker. He recently passed away at the age of 93 in Wisconsin. Nick Diunte has a great story about him here. Also, I had previously written about him back in 2009, here.
• Check out this recording from StoryCorps as, then teenager, Harvey Sherman recalls Bobby Thomson's heartbreaking home run.
• Great catch Fleer Sticker Project. I've got a bunch of these pins featuring Dodger players and have always wondered where they came from.
• Could this be the oldest surviving hockey stick in the world, via SCD.

  The stick had been in the barbershop of George Ferneough for decades. He finally sold the stick to Mark Presley for $987 in 2008.

• The Dodgers send their thanks.

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Just Further Affirmation- Kershaw Was Best Lefty

Clayton Kershaw has been named the 2011 winner of The Warren Spahn Award given to the best left handed pitcher of the year. From the press release:

The Spahn Award is presented annually to the best left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball and is based on a pitcher’s wins, strikeouts and earned run average. Kershaw led in all categories with 21 wins, 248 strikeouts and a 2.28 ERA.

“It is a genuine honor to have my named mentioned alongside one of the greatest lefties in the history of the game,” Kershaw said. “Mr. Spahn accomplished so much both in baseball and in his life off the field. I am truly humbled by this award. Thank you.”

Greg Spahn, son of the late Warren Spahn, said this is the first time an award winner has placed first in every category since Randy Johnson won in the late 1990s.

“Congratulations to Clayton Kershaw on an incredible season, leading all lefties with a 2.28 ERA,” Spahn said. “In fact, he led in each category of the Warren Spahn Award, with the Dodgers a third place club in the National League West. I look forward to handing him the award.”

The award ceremony will be in January in Oklahoma. Go to the following website for more information on this award- The Warren Spahn Award.

There's a New Gagne in Town

That's right boys and girls. Los Angeles is in the midst of enjoying the splendid play from another Canadian import named Gagne. This time, instead of hurling fast balls to decimate his opponents, he snipes and scores goals with a finishing ability that makes this Kings fan hopeful that this is the year to go far in the playoffs. Sure, most of the hockey world was enamored with the trade that brought Mike Richards to LA, but make no mistake, the free agent signing of Simon Gagne should prove to be the deal that puts us over the top.

(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NHLI via Getty Images)

To prove that point, this past Tuesday was Opening Night at the Staples Center against the St. Louis Blues, and Simon Gagne was a principal player on the ice for the Kings blowout win. He recorded 2 goals, including the first and last goals of the game, and an assist as the Kings skated to a 5-0 win. Heck, Gagne came close to a Opening Night hat trick. Via Kings Insider:

“It was fun. It’s always fun when you’re able to chip in and score some goals. I had a couple of chances to get the hat trick at the end. I had two nice passes from my linemates, one by Willy [Justin Williams] and one by Kopi [Anze Kopitar].

It's amazing how one player can bring some stability to an offensive first line. So far the line of Kopitar, Williams and Gagne have scored a total of 9 goals and 14 assist in just 5 games, and they have yet to give up a goal while on the ice.

So, Los Angeles, sit back and enjoy the Canadian breeze as we can once again praise the glory of Gagne. "Game Over" may not be the apt slogan we use this time, but how about "Goal Scored!" I think that has a nice ring to it.

For your viewing pleasure, check out the below video of Simon Gagne's 2nd goal of the evening as Anze Kopitar lofted an alley-oop pass to set up the score.

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Collection: Gary Sheffield Omega 2000 Auto Die-Cut

Here is another card from Dodger autographed card collection. It is a 2000 Pacific Trading Cards Omega 2000 die-cut auto card of Gary Sheffield.

UPDATE: Based on Greg's comment I had to make this.

Hake's: When Baseball and History Collide

Hake's just opened up their most recent auction and it includes this fantastic photograph of Babe Ruth, Connie Mack and 3 other gentleman. I show this photo not because of the obvious Hall of Fame connection, although you can't go wrong with these two baseball titans. I highlight this item because of the apparent connection to world history.

At the far left is Japanese publisher Matsutaro Shoriki who sponsored this Baseball tour in Japan. As the reverse of the press photo describes, Shoriko was eventually stabbed in the neck by Katsusuke Nagasaki who, as a member Of The War Like Gods Society, argued that the exhibition drained money from Japan during a depression. Dated from 1935 it is an obvious precursor to a war that eventually would embroil the entire world.

Hake's Auction has always had some great Baseball memorabilia so I'll point out some of my favorites; including some Dodger related stuff, over the next few days.

(Auction Link)

Daily Conlon: 352 through 360

Here are todays Daily Conlon cards numbered 352 through 360, and it features highlights of some early no-hitters. Unfortunately, not a Dodger in the bunch, but it does show Sad Sam Jones (at center) who, as a member of the New York Yankees, threw a no-no in 1923 without one strike out.

Now you are probably wondering why he was called "Sad" Sam Jones. Well here's the story, via Baseball Library.

Bill McGheehan of the New York Herald-Tribune dubbed him Sad Sam because, to him, Jones looked downcast on the field. Jones told Lawrence Ritter that the reason he looked downcast was because, "I would always wear my cap down real low over my eyes. And the sportswriters were more used to fellows like Waite Hoyt, who'd always wear their caps way up so they wouldn't miss any pretty girls."