A New Roger McDowell Dodger Card for My Collection

If you thought Jesse Orosco or Mickey Hatcher were the biggest goofballs to ever put on a Dodger uniform then you'd be mistaken.  I think perched on that throne might be former Dodger reliever Roger McDowell.

He pitched for the Dodgers for four season in the early 90's and quickly enamored himself with the fans.  After all, who doesn't enjoy witnessing a little bit of hijinks in the dugout.  McDowell was known to shoot off some fireworks and was a master at the classic 'hot foot' maneuver.  For Baseball card collectors he is well known for his often hilarious depictions on cardboard.  I've included numerous examples at the very bottom.

As for the card featured above, it is a 1992 Leaf Baseball card that had been inserted into packs of 2014 Leaf Metal Drafts as an autographed 'Buy Back' card, and I recently added this card to mt collection.  As you may know, these 'Buy Back' cards are numbered to the players uniform number.  In this specific case, McDowell decided to have one final laugh at us all by signing the opposite number of cards.  He wore #31 as a Dodger, but decided to sign only 13 cards. 

Below are some funny McDowell cards from his time as a Dodger.

 

This last card might be the best of the bunch.  It is a 1993 Leaf Triple Play card #263.

This last photo below is NSFW.  You can view it by going below the jump.

2014 Topps Chrome Update - All the Dodger Cards

I figured I should put this up just for informational purposes.  A couple of weeks back Topps released their 2014 Topps Chrome Update cards, and they can only be found in retail-only boxes.  Per Chris Olds at Beckett:

A new collecting twist that began last season is back for another run as a retail-only edition of 2014 Topps Chrome Update will be found in boxes arriving in stores now. Each box includes five packs of 2014 Topps Update and two packs of Chrome Update for $14.99

The Chrome Update set will consist of 55 cards, while there will be 25 All-Star Stitches Chrome Relics to be found and 10 All -Star Stitches Chrome Relic Autos as well. The only other inserts will be 20 World Series Heroes cards.

Go here for a complete checklist.  There are only a handful of Dodger cards available, and all of them are just chrome versions of cards that had already been released previously in October as a part of the 2014 Topps Update set.  Go here to see the Dodger cards found in 2014 Topps Update.

Base Set

#MB-30 Erisbel Arruebarrena

I have yet to see the actual chrome versions of the two below relic cards of Kershaw and Puig, so I have included pics of the normal update relic cards for your information.  I have no reason to believe that the chrome cards look any different than these cards - except for being super shiny.

All-Star Stitches Chrome Relics

#ASCR-CKL Clayton Kershaw                         #ASCR-YP Yasiel Puig

World Series Heroes

#WSC-18 Sandy Koufax

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *

Blog Kiosk: 12/1/2014 - Dodger Links - A Scharfman Photo of Some Brooklyn Dodgers and Scully's Greatest Calls

Above is another fantastic vintage press photo that I ran into on eBay.  Go here to check out that auction.  It is an International News Photo taken by noted photographer Herb Scharfman, dated 8/12/1956.

Scharfman is considered one of the greats in sports photojournalism.  He started out with International News Photo then moved on to Sports Illustrated.  His photograph of Rocky Marciano's knock-out punch of Joe Wolcott in 1952 is considered one of the most iconic photos ever taken (see it here), and he is noted for chronicling Roger Maris' pursuit of Babe Ruth's home run record in 1961.  Strangely, he may be more famous today for a photo he did not take, but is instead in the middle of.  He is the photographer seen between Muhammad Ali's leg when he stands over a knocked-out Sonny Liston in a 1964 rematch.  You can see that photo here.

As for the photo above it includes the following caption that was attached to the reverse:

Winning Combo

Brooklyn, NY... Winning Dodger combination that helped rout Robin Roberts and the Phillies, 7-3, today make a happy picture in Ebbets Field dressing room.  From left are Carl Furrillo who hit two homers, winning pitcher Roger Craig, and Pee Wee Reese and Randy Jackson, who hit a homer each as their share in the Philly Defeat.

This win kept the Dodgers 1.5 games behind the Milwaukee Braves.  Below are some links to check out:

• Via Mark Townsend at Big League Stew, he shares his favorite Vin Scully calls on his 87th birthday.  Then, Michael Clair at Cut4 shares his favorites, "Celebrate Vin Scully's 87th birthday with some of his greatest calls."
• So, Kershaw was at the LA Auto Show this past weekend.  Via David's Autograph Signings, he was there and shared a bunch of photos to prove it.
• Via Ron Cervenka at Think Blue LA, "The second biggest disappointing moment of 2014."

“That was a really tough play,” Kershaw said. “I think under normal circumstances that’s pretty close to a hit. [Corey] Dickerson’s really fast and Hanley did all he could, he made a great play and just throws a little wide, so there’s nothing you can do with that. It was a tough play.”

• Via Stacie Wheeler at Lasorda's Lair, "Dodgers Lose Two Minor League Catchers This Offseason."
• Via Oscar Martinez at Lasorda's Lair, "Remembering Hanley Ramirez Through Cardboard."
• You've no doubt heard about and seen the new Star Wars 'The Force Awakens' movie trailer, but have you seen the Lego version?  Watch it below.

Video Link:

* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *

* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *

* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *