Dodgers Blog Kiosk: 11/13/2012 - Onelki Garcia, Koufax & WiFi at Dodgers Stadium

Topps unveiled some preview pics on twitter of their upcoming Five Star Baseball set that is officially coming out this Wednesday.   Check out the above Sandy Koufax dual-autographed booklet card that they shared.

• Check out the very first pic of Mark McGwire in Dodger Blue, via twitter @Dodgers Jon SooHoo.  Also, be sure to check out Jon's Dodgers photoblog.  He has a bunch of recent pics from the organization meetings yesterday, Kershaw's Golf Tournament and the Veterans Day batting practice.  Go here.
• Chad Moriyama shares a short interview he had with Dodgers prospect Onelki Garcia.
• Robert Edwards Auctions shares a pic of a rare Jackie Robinson pennant that will be for sale in their auction next year.  They hold only 1 auction a year, and it always has the best material.

• Bill Shaikin tweeted some great news yesterday.

(twitter link)

• Carl Crawford is expected to be ready for Opening Day, via DJ Short at Hardball Talk.
• GCRL takes a look back at a 1971 Dodgers schedule.
• AEG (owner of the Kings, Galaxy, and the Staples Center) and eBay announce a global partnership, via Sports Business Digest.

If you are ever wondering what it looks like when two behemoths of industry decide to enter into a partnership, look no further than yesterday’s partnership between AEG and eBay Inc. The multi-year partnership, which spans across multiple eBay subsidaries and multiple AEG venues will begin in 2013.

• John Thorn writes about Baseball in Black America in the late 1800's.
• Sports Illustrated takes a look back at the 51 sports athletes to make it into The Simpsons.
• Watch Angry Bird's Star Wars

Video Link:

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Hunt Auctions: Willard Mulling Drawings of Leo Durocher & the Brooklyn Bum

Hunt Auctions is having a very busy month.  They had two different auctions running at the same time, and both of them are closing this week.

Still ongoing is their monthly internet sports memorabilia auction that closes tomorrow, and it includes an original Willard Mullin drawing that I had to share here.  See it below.  It is from 1948 and was published in the Sporting News.  It features Dodgers skipper Leo Durocher, who was recently reinstated as the manager of the ballclub.  He is drawn fielding a bunch of questions from eager reporters in his first press conference, but answers back with a "No Comment."  I guess he didn't get the memo that a press conference was for answering questions.

(auction link)

This is an original drawing that was in Hunt Auctions 9th Annual Louisville Slugger Museum auction that closed just a few days ago.  It is thought to be a Willard Mullin original, but has not been signed.  Nevertheless, I must say it has quickly become one of my favorites.  That mischievous look gets me every time.

(auction link)

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Meet Your 2013 Dodgers Coaching Staff

All of the news the Dodgers have been generating this off season has me excited.  I just can't wait to see what transpires over a full season of a Kasten/Guggenheim/Magic ownership.

With that said, say hello to the 2013 Dodgers coaching staff.  These are the folks who lead us.  As Ned Colletti said,

“All of these men have a passion for teaching and coaching.  They provide a vast array of experience and are well-respected with a proven track record.”  

He loves to lay it on thick, doesn't he?

Anyway, here they are:

Don Mattingly – Manager (third season)
Chuck Crim – Bullpen Coach (first season)
Trey Hillman – Bench Coach (third season)
Rick Honeycutt – Pitching Coach (eighth season)
Davey Lopes – First Base Coach (third season)
Mark McGwire – Hitting Coach (first season)
Tim Wallach – Third Base Coach (third season)
Ken Howell – Assistant Pitching Coach (first season, sixth on staff)
John Valentin – Assistant Hitting Coach (first season)
Manny Mota – Coach (34^th season)
Steve Yeager – Coach (second season)

There really aren't any surprises, eh?  Ken Howell moves up to be the Assistant Pitching Coach, and Chuck Crim is now the Bullpen Coach.  John Valentin comes in for his first Dodgers season as an Assistant Hitting Coach after spending last year with Albuquerque.  Of course, we all knew that Mark McGwire would be our main Hitting Coach.  For some detail about each individuals credentials check out the original Dodger press release, here.

So, there you have it.  Welcome your 2013 Dodgers coaching staff.

The pic above is from Jon SooHoo/ 2012 Dodgers.  It is of the entire Dodgers organization.  See more pics, here.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Collection: Some Vintage T205 Brooklyn Dodgers Baseball Cards from 1911

I thought I'd take a look at my vintage card album and scan a few oldies.  Here are some T205 Brooklyn Superbas (Dodgers) cards.  These are little tobacco cards that were inserted within packs of various brands of American Tobacco Company products in 1911.  

There are a total of 220 cards in the set, and 15 Brooklyn cards to chase after.  Two players have two cards in the set, Cy Barger and Kaiser Wilhelm.  Unfortunately, I only have 5 of them in all, so I have a long way to go before I complete my set.

So far, my collection includes George Bell, Bill Bergen, Nap Rucker, Ed Lennox, and John Hummel.  These are all common players and would typically sell between $20 to $35 a piece in their current condition.  More likely on the low end when considering how many creases are evident.

As you can see, the reverse of the cards include a small advertisement and a player biography.  Click any pic to embiggen.

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *