2020 Topps Now 'Turn Back the Clock' -- Matt Kemp

The 2011 season was a big one for Matt Kemp. Free agency was looming and he had not yet become a superstar on the field. Soon though, the Baseball world would see.

He started out the season on fire -- slashing .441/.537/.647/1.184 with one homer over the first ten games of the season. By the start of June he was rocking a solid .312 batting average with 13 homers and a .945 OPS. Then June 4th came, and Matt Kemp showed that he had a flair for the dramatic. With the Dodgers down by four runs in the eighth inning, Kemp came up to the plate with the bases filled and hit a game-tying homerun to keep the Dodgers in the game. Eventually, the club would win it in extras, 11-8 (boxscore).

In honor of his dramatics Topps has issued a 2020 Topps Now 'Turn Back the Clock' card for collectors to add to their collections. Go here to check it out and order. Here is what it says on the reverse:

Blog Kiosk: 6/4/2020 - Dodgers Links & News - Some Odds and Ends

On this day in 1972 the Dodgers retired the very first numbers in their history, and they chose to do it with a bang. They didn't just retire one number -- they retired three. Featured above is Jackie Robinson, Roy Campanella and Sandy Koufax. The ceremony happened during pregame activities on Old-Timers Day.

BTW the Dodgers would eventually lose that evenings game against Bob Gibson and the Cardinals, 4-0 (boxscore).

Below are more links to check out:

• This Day in Dodgers History: In 1964 Sandy Koufax threw his third no-hitter of his career. He blanked the Phillies at Connie Mack Stadium, 3-0. Overall, he recorded 12 strike outs and allowed just one walk. In 1968 Don Drysdale threw his sixth consecutive shutout of the season, extending his scoreless streak to 54 innings, when he defeated the Pirates, 5-0. This is also the day Robert Kennedy made note of Drysdale's efforts in a speech at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles after winning the CA primary. You can watch that portion of the speech here. Soon thereafter, Kennedy would be assassinated. In 1972 the Dodgers retired the first three numbers in their history during pregame activities on Old-Timers Day -- Sandy Koufax #32, Roy Campanella #39, and Jackie Robinson #42. In 1998 the Dodgers traded Hideo Nomo to the Mets for Dave Mlicki and Greg McMichael. In 1990 Dodgers ace Ramón Martínez struck out 18 Atlanta batters to defeat the Braves, 2-0. His effort tied a club record for strike outs in a game with Sandy Koufax, and was one short of the Major League record.
• Happy Birthday, Lee Magee, George Watkins & Rick Wilkins!