Early in spring Clayton Kershaw and family hosted ballplayers from several other teams in Arizona to Spring Training PingPong4Purpose charity event, and was kind enough to share some pics at the Kershaw's Challenge website (link here).
A little over 150 people attended the event, making donations at the door to KC. 50% of the proceeds were to be donated to Kershaw’s Challenge (handicap building project) and the other 50% would be donated to the winner’s choice charity. We were blown away with what the event raised. Just over $14,000 was donated the night-of! Incredible. Clayton and his partner Scott ended up pulling out the big win in the end…as well as Dodger bragging rights until next year’s event.
Below are more links to check out:
- This Day in Dodgers History: In 1948 the Dodgers played their very first exhibition game at Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Florida. They played against their top farm team, the Montreal Royals, and defeated them 5-4. Jackie Robinson hit a first inning home run. Per HistoricDodgertown.com:
Florida Governor Millard Caldwell threw the ceremonial first pitch at so-called “Ebbets Field No. 2.” A sign reading “You Are Now Entering Dodgertown” welcomed a strong showing of some 6,000 fans, paying $1.25 in the grandstands and bolstered the idea of more games being played on base in the future. Baseball Commissioner Happy Chandler, who had suspended Manager Durocher one year earlier, shook hands with “The Lip” and wished him good luck. Vero Mayor Merrill P. Barber looked on and a contingent of the Brooklyn National Guard, who had traveled to Florida to watch the Dodgers, was introduced and went home with a “load of oranges presented to them by the Vero Beach Jaycees.”
- Happy Birthday, Bill Hallman, Gene Snyder & Balvino Galvez!
- Video: Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill share their knowledge on the art of throwing curveballs and Sandy Koufax's wisdom (Video Link).
- Video: Alanna Rizzo speaks with Dave Roberts after the Dodgers 3-2 loss to the Angels on Thursday night. (Video Link)
- Via Andy McCullough at the LA Times; "How Dodgers GM Farhan Zaidi became one of the most coveted minds in baseball." We are lucky to have him.
Zaidi subscribes to what he considers a “perverted form of optimism,” a belief in the power of joyful pragmatism leavened with perspective on the unlikelihood of his journey. He bursts with laughter. He disarms agents and rival executives with humor. He ribs Dodgers staffers, trades barbs with the players about fantasy football and shares ideas with Manager Dave Roberts. He can forge a relationship “with anyone, whether it’s the CEO of a company or it’s the janitor,” said Alex Anthopoulos, the Dodgers’ assistant general manager.
- This brief article is worth your time to check out. Via Travis Sawchik at FanGraphs; "The Dodgers have a Weakness, and They’re Addressing it."
- Grandal is now Kershaw's personal catcher. Per Ken Gurnick at MLB.com; "Opener to have different backdrop for Kershaw."
"Watching the connection they had was very special," said Grandal. "Not many guys get to have that. For me, it was great to watch it. It taught me a lot. The fact I get the chance now to be behind the plate every time he's throwing gives me the chance to watch greatness on the mound, and that's exciting."
- This weeks Topps "Throwback Thursday" online exclusive card set includes Corey Seager on a card using the 1957 Topps Baseball card design. See it on the right. You can order the six card set directly from Topps here. Other players in the set include Bryant, Harper, Beltre, Betts and Lindor.
- Via an AP report at NH1; "'Over the Rainbow', recording of final Brooklyn Dodgers and NY Giants game heading to national registry."
Baseball play-by-play from Vin Scully, who retired last year after calling Dodgers games for 67 years, will also join the national library's trove of recordings, which are selected for their historical, artistic or cultural significance.
The library chose Scully's call of the final meeting between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants at Manhattan's Polo Grounds in 1957. Both teams would depart for California after that season.
"It's a rather imposing call to realize that something that you have done would technically live forever in the Library of Congress," Scully, 89, told The Associated Press from his home in Hidden Hills, California. "It was a particularly meaningful game for me anyway, so to have it picked up and put for posterity is rather humbling and, at the same time, overwhelming."
* Please follow on twitter @ernestreyes *
* Like Dodgers Blue Heaven on facebook *
* Dodgers Blue Heaven home page *
No comments:
Post a Comment