Friday, May 08, 2020

Blog Kiosk: 5/8/2020 - Dodgers Links & News - Some Odds and Ends


Here's a fun Herb Scharfman International News press photo from the first day of spring training at Dodgertown in Vero Beach, 1954, and as you can see it features a rather nimble Duke Snider. Don Newcombe, who was on the mound, was aiming for Snider's rear-end, and the Duke had to do a jitterbug to get out of the way. Per the descriptor attached to reverse (eBay auction link):
Pitch went Wild
Vero Beach, Florida -- Brooklyn outfielder Duke Snider isn't going into his dance as might be supposed from his gyrations in this picture. A pitch by Don Newcombe tagged Duke on his trouser seat in Opening Day workouts at Vero Beach yesterday. A sartorial note was added to the scene by Snider who appeared in a polo shirt of violent scarlet, trousers of a golden hue, two-tone shoes and a straw hat modeled like a long-ago box baseball cap. The Dodgers spring training underway under the guidance of their new manager, Walter Alston.
Below are more links to check out:
  • This Day in Dodgers History: In 1941 the Giants and Dodgers play an Army-Navy Relief exhibition game that raises over $60,000 for the Navy Relief Fund in front of 24,000 fans. Brooklyn edged out their rivals, 7-6, on a Dolph Camilli home run in the seventh inning. BTW, everyone, including the umpires, coaches and players, paid admission to enter Ebbets Field. In 1973 Willie Stargell hit an Andy Messersmith pitch out of Dodger Stadium. This was the second time he had accomplished the feat at the stadium and only the second time it had ever happened in its history. In other words, Willie Stargell owned Dodger Stadium. In 1981 Fernando Valenzuela pitched his seventh straight victory to open the season -- shutting out the Mets by a score of 1-0 at Shea Stadium.
  • Happy Birthday, Dan Brouthers & Adrian Gonzalez!
  • Video: Dodgers Catcher Austin Barnes Talks to Fred Roggin (video link).
  • Video: KABC -- Parkinson's patient makes Dodgers masks to support the Parkinson's Foundation (video link).
  • This is news. Per Jeffrey Bellone at Dodgers Way -- "Matt Vasgersian was the first choice to replace Vin Scully."
  • Via Les Levine at Cleveland Jewish News -- "Dodgers’ Erskine has write words for area baseball fan."
A couple of weeks ago, Freeman received a letter – it was handwritten from the former pitcher who thanked him for reaching out.
He told Freeman that in the Giants-Dodgers playoff game, he was warming up in the bullpen, along with Ralph Branca when Thomson came up with the tying run on base. He threw a ball in the dirt just as manager Chuck Dressen called to see which pitcher was ready. When told Erskine just threw a wild one, Dressen said, “Well then, send in Branca.” That was a bad call.
“With the coronavirus putting so many families at risk, out of work, no one should go hungry, and we want to do our part in supporting the vital work of the Los Angeles Food Bank,” said Jarrín.
For every dollar donated, the L.A. Food Bank can provide four meals. While the initial $30,000 donation means more than 100,000 meals, every dollar donated through the Jarrín Foundation’s donation page (link here)  will be matched up to $30,000, so the L.A. Food Bank can feed even more families.
  • As you may know, numerous athletes from all sports recently honored healthcare heroes on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Justin Turner took part (link here). I want to point out the cap Turner is wearing. It's a "social distancing" LA Dodgers cap and I want one. Check it out on the right. (Hat Tip: Paul Lukas at UniWatch)
  • During a recent 'Old Baseball Cards' video from Mike Oz at Yahoo Sports, guest pack-opener Vernon Wells shares a funny story about Raul Mondesi. Apparently, when Mondesi, who was with the Blue Jays at the time, went to spring training with a SUV that had a hydraulic bar that would come out of the back-end. Watch it here (4:17 mark).
  • Per Ken Gurnick at MLB.com -- "The Dodgers' all-time top international signings." Unsurprisingly, Roberto Clemente tops the list, but as you know he never actually got to be a Dodger.
  • Via Paul Durham at Johnstonian News -- "International pastime: Former Tob Sands continues his career in Asia."
“This is what what God’s blessed me with a lot of talent to do, so I kind of want to make sure that I use the talent as long as I can,” (Jerry) Sands said during a FaceTime chat from his residence in the Hyōgo Prefecture in Japan on Tuesday evening.
The 32-year-old said that he hadn’t planned on going to Japan to play baseball. 
“I honestly I would have been fine with staying in Korea for the rest of my career,” he said. “It just came down obviously to a business decision, a financial decision. This team (Hanshin) offered me a good deal and I want to get it at this point in my career. But I loved my Korean team; it wasn’t just a stepping stone. I even told them in the negotiation process (that I appreciated them) bringing me over here to finish my career because (they) gave me a chance. But the (KBO) team just couldn’t financially meet anywhere close to what what (Hanshin) could so it was just a complete business decision.”




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By at Friday, May 08, 2020
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