Some Willard Mullin Drawings at SCP Auctions

SCP Auctions is at it again with their 2015 Fall auction and it includes several fantastic original Willard Mullin drawings that I just had to share here.  As you may know, Mullin was an legendary New York area editorial sports cartoonist who was the brainchild of the famous Brooklyn Dodger "Bum." 

At top is probably my favorite of the bunch.  Undated, although suspected to be from late 1954, it features the hearty swing of Roy Campanella.  It it titled "Fate's Left Hand" or "The Hand of Fate," and it includes a comment box pointed at Campy's left hand; noting:

Maybe "they should ought to of had Spooner sooner"... But it says here the focal point of the Dodger hopes lies in Campanella's ailing duke.

Prior to the start of the 1954 season Campanella fractured his hand and tried in vain to play through it.  He lasted until May when he finally had surgery.  Unfortunately, he returned far too early.  He clearly was not fully healed; as evidenced by his inability to firmly grip the bat.  As a result, Campanella went on to have the worst season of his career.  He batted .207 with only 19 home runs.  The Dodgers failed to win the division.  In reference to Spooner, Karl came up from the minors late in the season to win his only two starts in convincing fashion.  If only he was brought in sooner, Spooner might have been enough to give the club another chance at the World Series title.  Check out the auction for the above drawing here.

These next two Mullin drawings are being sold together in one lot. 

The drawing on the left is from 1947 and features the "Bum" discovering the fact that last years club was devoid of power.

My Gosh!  Th' most homers any of our bums got last year wuz ELEVEN!

Then there's speculation that maybe future Hall of Famer Johnny Mize is the answer to the Dodgers' struggles.

The next drawing (on right) is titled "The Wings of Spring."  It notes that the old Spring adage that "the pitchers are ahead of the pitchers" has never been more true.  Apparently, there had been three no-hitters thrown that March already.  The Bum notes:

"But they don't have t'be that far ahead... They might of given us one little scratch single... It's hoomilleratin'"

These final two drawings includes Mullin's mascot for the NY Giants with the Brooklyn "Bum."  Per the auction description:

Drawing on left:  Great piece of 1950's Willard Mullin signed original newspaper artwork entitled "New Man in the Act" pictures the New York Giant mystified by "St. Louis Swifty" doing tricks in front of him. The Brooklyn Bum is in the background saying "Everybody wants t'get in'tha ack".
Drawing on right:  Great piece of 1950's Willard Mullin signed original newspaper artwork featuring the New York Giant and Brooklyn Dodger carrying off a treasure chest as the Pittsburgh Pirate is looking at a treasure map with the Polo Grounds as the treasure's spot while his friend is busy digging an empty hole.

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