Dodgers Blue Heaven: Apr 18, 2013

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Mailbag: A Vintage Van Lingle Mungo Card

My quest to chase vintage Dodgers' cards is in full swing. I recently came across this beauty on eBay. It is a 1936 National Chicle Fine Pens premium card/photo of former Dodger and all-around-ruffian Van Lingle Mungo. The set it comes from is posthumously known as R313 in the Standard Card Catalog.

As you probably know, Mungo plays an infamous part in Dodger lore. He was a known rabble-rouser and terrible drunkard during his playing days, and as you can imagine it caused problems off the field. One story includes him having to escape Cuba during Spring Training in order to escape the police and an angry husband who caught Mungo cavorting with his wife and another women in the dead of night. The angry husband was wielding a machete and had plans to kill Mungo.

Mungo may be more well known, though for a song that was named after him. It was a little jazz ditty by Dave Frishberg called "Van Lingle Mungo". Have a listen to that song here.

The card above had a fairly high opening bid, but not so high that it was over-priced. In fact, I thought it was valued right were it should be, and immediately placed a bid in hopes of securing it. With nobody else bidding, I won and walked away with this beauty at an affordable price of $15.00, delivered.

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Heritage: Some Great Vintage Dodgers' Uniforms (from 1913 to 1965)

This is turning out to be a big month for auctions. First you've got the SCP Auction featuring items from Steve Garvey's collection, and REA just opened up their once-a-year Baseball auction extravaganza (I'll write about this one soon). In this post, however, I want to highlight Heritage's offering that includes some great game-used Dodger uniform pieces.

Below is a 1965 Willie Davis game-worn jersey.

(auction link)

If you are looking for something really rare, check out this vintage 1913 Brooklyn Superbas (the former name of the Dodgers) road game jersey that was once worn by left-handed pitcher Earl Yingling. This item is reaching the market for the first time. It come directly from the Yingling's granddaughter.

(auction link)

Here is another uniform from Earl Yingling. This time we have the home white 1913 Brooklyn Superbas jersey. Real game jersey's from this time period are exceedingly rare, so to have two of them available to view is a real treat.

(auction link)

This is just awesome. This is said to be a 1955 Spring Training game cap once worn by Sandy Koufax. From the auction description, as written by the consignor:

"My father Karl Drews played professional baseball for 21 years...He pitched in relief for the Yankees in the 1947 season going 6-6 and had two appearances in the 1947 World Series...He had his best season in the majors in 1952, winning 14 games and finishing 5th in the league with a 2.72 ERA. He finished his major league career in 1954 with the Cincinnati Reds. My father continued to play professional baseball with numerous minor league teams, eventually finishing his career in 1960 with the Mexico City Reds. When we were young our father brought home from his spring training site a hat that he said he got from a very young Sandy Koufax. He told us how he was a very young left handed pitcher who everyone had great expectations for and that he too thought would be a truly great pitcher one day. He told us how special this hat would be some day if Koufax had the type of career that the players and coaches envisioned. We kept the hat in our closet with other items from my father's playing days (there were no fancy hat boxes, bat holders, etc back then)...All of this information is true to the best of my memory and recollection and those of my older sister as well."

(auction link)

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Blog Kiosk: 4/18/2013

The Collegiate a capella group the Yale Whiffenpoofs sang the National Anthem last night at Dodger Stadium. Pic via Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers 2013. Check out more pics from yesterday; including photos of Hello Kitty and Brittany Spears in the dugout.

Steve Garvey did an interview on Good Day LA yesterday to talk about the SCP Auction of his memorabilia from his career and his battle with cancer. Watch it here.
"Chadwick Boseman On His Intense Training To Become Jackie Robinson In 42," via a video from Access Hollywood.
Via Trulia Luxe Living Blog at AOL, Zack Greinke just purchased a $4.6Mil home in Studio City.
"Dodgers' Zack Greinke on A.J. Ellis: 'I should have warned him'," via Steve Dilbeck at the LA Times.

"Anyone with the White Sox has always labeled me as someone who does stuff," Greinke said. "I didn't think it would happen. Looking back, I should have warned him."

Greg Zakwin at Chad Moriyama.com does a great job updating us on the current Dodgers' injuries hampering the team.
Jon Weisman at Dodger Thoughts wonders if the problem with the Dodger is a new curse.
The Dutch Card Guy shows off his recent purchase of Clayton Kershaw autographed cards. I am very envious.
Gary Joseph Cieradkowski at The Infinite Baseball Card Set shares his Jackie Robinson card creation.

I tried to depict Robinson as being full of confidence, ready to take the field for the first time, the weight of a whole race upon his able shoulders. It was an important day and I wanted to make this an important drawing.

Our old friend Jerry Sands has been suspended for a little altercation in the minors, via Charlie Wilmoth at Bucs Dugout.
I enjoyed this article on high school player and potential draftee Manny Ramirez Jr, via Les Carpenter at Yahoo.

The bat, long and thin and dipped in black paint, can’t weigh more than 34 ounces, but it is the name on the barrel – the one printed in gold – that makes the lumber so heavy. Manny Ramirez Jr. smiles as he touches the letters. For 17 years he’s lived with this name and the stares and looks and jokes that come with it until he can do nothing but shake his head. Son of Manny. That’s who he is.

I just thought I would let you all know that next week is the start of National Parks Week throughout the country. From April 22nd to the 26th, all National Parks entrance fees are waived. Go here for more information.

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2013 Topps Tribute Baseball - Dodgers' Auto Cards

Last, but certainly not least. Here is a look at all of the Dodgers' autographed insert cards within 2013 Topps Tribute. There are a bunch; including some former Dodgers you wouldn't expect. Go here to take a look at other Dodgers' cards I've featured from this set.

Directly below are the basic autographed cards. Both Matt Kemp and Sandy Koufax also have cards, but redemption's are included in packs instead of the actual cards. This is old news for fans who are still waiting for Matt Kemp to sign 2012 Topps Baseball cards. (Wait... Have those cards been signed yet, or are folks STILL waiting?) It's likely you'll have another long wait if you get one.

Autograph Cards

#TA-AE Andre Ethier #TA-AGO Adrian Gonzalez