Blog Kiosk: 10/18/2019 - Dodgers Links - Some Odds and Ends

Pee Wee Reese knows how to have a satisfying winter. Featured above is an October 6, 1955 press photo of Pee Wee Reese grabbing his clubs for a relaxing round of golf, two days after becoming a World Series champion for the first time (eBay auction link). Per the description on the reverse:

Pee Wee Reese grabbed his golf sticks and headed for the links where he will spend much of his time until next spring.

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1977 Yankees outfielder Reggie Jackson broke LA's heart. He walloped three homers on three consecutive first-pitch at-bats against the Dodgers to win Game 6 and the World Series. If you must you can watch highlights here. I hate you Reggie Jackson! 
• Happy Birthday, Burt Shotton, Wally Millies, Roy Cullenbine, Andy Carey, Jerry Royster, Alan Mills & Alex Cora!
• Podcast: Reiter Than You -- 10-16-19 listen to Jerry Hairston Jr. chats about the Dodgers and baseball (podcast link here).
• ICYMI: Cody Bellinger has been named as one of three finalist for the 2019 Players Choice Awards Outstanding Player award -- along with Christian Yelich and Anthony Rendon. 
• Dodger pitching prospect Josiah Gray is up for a 2019 MiLBYS Award as the Breakout Prospect of the year -- a previously quiet player who stole the show this year. Go here for more information. He is also up for Top Starting Pitcher. Gavin Lux is up for Top Offensive Player.
• Michael Whittman at Dodgers Way provides a helpful list of, "Dodgers prospects who become rule five eligible this offseason." There's a lot of names the Dodgers need to protect.
• Per Jim Mancari at The Tablet -- "Brooklyn Still Has Fond Place in Carl Erskine’s Heart."

“Erskine was one of the heart and souls,” said Brother Robert Kent, O.S.F., head varsity baseball coach and alumni director at St. Francis Prep, Fresh Meadows, who also grew up a Brooklyn Dodger fan. “He was reliable in the clutch all the time. He was definitely a guy who was true to Brooklyn.”

• Wow! Per Pete Brush at Law360 (subq. req.) -- "Dodgers Go To Bat For Historic Jackie Robinson Contracts." 

Counsel for the Los Angeles Dodgers told a Manhattan federal judge Wednesday that the team will join a fight over who owns two iconic player contracts worth as much as $10 million signed by Jackie Robinson, who broke Major League Baseball's color barrier in 1947.

...
The ownership dispute may come down to whether the contracts were those owned by the Dodgers organization decades ago or whether they were Robinson's personal copies, according to people familiar with the litigation.

As you may know, there have been rumors that numerous historical Dodger documents were pilfered from the club.

• Via Dylan A Chase at MLB Trade Rumors -- "Justin Turner Open To Position Change."

Before the Dodgers’ appearance in the NLDS, Turner was asked how he would respond if his team pursued Rendon–even if such a pursuit meant he had to change his spot on the diamond. “I’ve bounced around [the diamond] my whole career,” Turner responded. “I don’t care.” While this hardly registers as a ringing endorsement of the idea, Turner’s hypothetical openness is worthy to note when considering how Friedman could possibly retool a roster that went 106-56 in the 2019 regular season.

• It just seems strange to get preview pics for Baseball cards related to the upcoming 2020 season. For instance, Cardboard Connection has a bunch of pics available from Topps 2020 Topps Archives Signature Series Active Baseball Edition; including a signed Clayton Kershaw card. This is planned for release on January 8, 2020. Go here to check it out.
• Via Bill Ladson at MLB.com -- "Catching up with 1988 WS hero Hatcher: Key contributor to Dodgers' championship team remains a fan favorite."

“I always had a lot of energy. That’s just how I was,” said Hatcher. “I was excited to have an opportunity to be out on that field, playing. I was excited to be in the Major Leagues. I was excited to have the opportunity to meet people like Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale. Baseball was just exciting for me. It wasn’t about me. Just being in the environment and having a chance to compete at a high level -- that’s what I enjoyed.”

...
(Best Story Ever!)
Hatcher’s birth name was Michael Vaughn Hatcher, but his father, who idolized Mantle, nicknamed him Mickey. It stuck. Hatcher met Mantle at the Yankees legend’s New York restaurant during the Dodgers’ World Series championship season. 

Hatcher walked over to Mantle like a little kid, his knees shaking. Hatcher thanked Mantle, who then presented Hatcher with an autographed menu. Hatcher still has it. 

“I walked away like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ ” Hatcher recalled. “I took two steps and I turned around. Mickey walks up to me, grabs me around the neck and says, ‘Hey, your name is Mickey, right? You better start hitting some [bleeping] home runs.’ I said, ‘If Mickey Mantle was my hitting coach, I might have made some money in this game.’ That is a true story.”

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