Thursday, March 22, 2012

Weekend Autograph Opportunities: Steve Garvey & NASCAR

Here are this weekends autograph opportunities 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.

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I am aware of one Baseball autograph signing event this weekend. See the pic below. Steve Garvey will be meeting with fans and signing autographs at Tustin Nissan this coming Saturday. Link here.

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Tustin Nissan
30 Auto Center Drive
Tustin,
CA 92782

888-468-1391


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If you are a NASCAR fan then this weekend is for you. In preparation for the upcoming Auto Club 400 race at the Speedway in Fontana this coming Sunday there have been and are still many race related events to go to in the Southland. Go here for information about everything. I'll just point to one event featuring the only NASCAR name I know.

Saturday afternoon, Jeff Gordon will be meeting fans at a Rancho Cucamonga Walmart Supercenter.
Jeff Gordon
Location:
Walmart Supercenter (12549 Foothill Blvd., Rancho Cucamonga)
Date: Saturday, March 24
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Hat Tip: LA Inspiration

2012 Topps Heritage - Some More Dodgers Inserts

Following up my previous post (here & here) highlighting the recently released 2012 Topps Heritage set, I wanted to finally focus on some of the autographed inserts and relics. First, though I wanted to admit that I had forgotten about one card in the base set that features a Dodger that I had missed. Check it out above. It is a "Friendly Foes" card, #68, with Giants pitcher Ryan Vogelsong and Andre Ethier having a little chat. I had failed to include this card as part of the Dodgers base cards of the set.

Now on to some of the autographs. Unfortunately, numerous Dodger autograph cards come with redemptions so actual photos of them are not yet available (this includes all Kemp auto's and a Duke Snider coin relic), so I'll just focus on actual cards available in packs.

First, I'll start with our ace, Clayton Kershaw. A checklist I had seen indicates that a Koufax autographed card exist, but I have yet to see one, and the Kemp autographed card is a redemption (meaning that he has yet to actual sign these cards for Topps).

These next two upcoming cards feature a couple of former Dodgers from the 1963 team- Daryl Spencer and Ed Roebuck.


Here is an awfully nice dual signature card of Kershaw and Sandy Koufax- complete with floating heads. Only 25 of these exist.

Matt Kemp has a game-used relic piece available.


Here is a Koufax coin card that celebrates his 2nd ho-hitter in 1963.
 UPDATE:  Here is a look at the Kemp autographed Hertiage card - both front and reverse.

Collection: Jeff Torborg Fleer Greats

Here is my 2004 Fleer Greats autographed card of Jeff Torborg. He played 7 years for the Blue Crew in the 60's- principally as the backup catcher to first Johnny Roseboro then Tom Haller. Although he couldn't hit a lick in the Majors, Torborg did provide the intelligence behind the plate that lead to him being involved in several noteworthy games.

From the Baseball Library.com:
In California, Torborg found himself on the receiving end of some of the most memorable games in Dodger history. He caught Sandy Koufax's perfect game on September 9, 1965, Bill Singer's no-hitter on July 20, 1970, and the fifth of Don Drysdale's six consecutive 1968 shutouts. Later as an Angel, Torborg caught Nolan Ryan's May 15, 1973 no-hitter.