New Year 2020 Surprise Package From The Pancake King

Aloha, everybody,

JBF, The Pancake King, mi hermano, sent out 13 Lucky packages before Christmas. Here's what I received in mine.

Aloha!

A Wonderful Oddball From Out of Left Field

Aloha, everybody, 

My son recently handed a flipbook to me, asking if I wanted it. Boy, did I ever! 

I couldn't find much info on this little flipbook, but it looks like it was produced by L.A. County government to celebrate the Dodgers' 50th season in Los Angeles, an to encourage voting in the 2008 Presedential election. 

Of course, it commemorates Kirk Gibson's legendary World Series home run.

Here's a peek inside. I've opened the front cover and the first image is visible... 

Later in the sequence, Gibby and Dennis Eckersley watch the flight of the ball on it's way into the L.A. night sky...

How about some fist-pump action...

The sequence actually plays out very well when you flip through it. Kudos to the county government for getting something right. 

Finally, a look at the back cover...

I never get tired of watching replays of Gibby's home run, or of the various TV and radio calls from that magic night. Now I have a flipbook to view it in an entirely new way. 

Aloha! 

Once More Around The Sun For Us!

Aloha, everybody, 

It's raining here in LA, but today is my birthday...so... Yahoooooo!!! 

There's no deep message or carefully constructed theme behind today's words and cards. Let's just have a simple party showing a few cardboard heroes in celebration mode. 

Of course, the Dodgers shall lead off. Here come a couple of big time World Series MVP pitchers, Mr. Podres and Mr. Koufax...

That's Sandy celebrating a 1963 World Series win. BTW - Koufax (2-0) and Podres (1-0) pitched back to back wins as the Dodgers swept the Yankees. 

I first thought about showing Kirk Gibson celebrating as he rounded the bases after his big home run in the 1988 World Series, but I found this card of the guy who hit twice as many as Gibby, and just as many as the Bash Brothers hit in that series...

 Gibson's 9th inning heroics would have come up short if not for this Game One home run from Mickey Hatcher in the bottom of the first inning. 

How about a little bit more Dodgers happiness...

Next up is a happy gallop from another one of my all-time favorite World Series homers...

I chose this Winfield card because he looks like he's rocking a home run celebration smile on his 1984 Topps card.

Of course somebody who was not shy about on-field celebrations was this man...
 

The pitcher usually bats last, so we'll close today with another of my favorite pitchers, whom I am happy to share my birthday with...

Happy Birthday to the man they called The Express.

I coulda went with that birthday song from the Beatles where they say it's your birthday, but I don't like the Beatles, sooo...let's run with a funky little tune from my old new wave days...

 

Aloha! 

The PWE Epidemic Reaches Little Ol' Me

Hey everybody,

Before you read any further, quick - run over to ESPN Classic.  They're showing Game One of the 1988 World Series.  Dodger Fans, Oakland fans, you know what game I'm talkin' about.

You certainly don't have to be a Dodger or an A's fan to appreciate this historical classic game.  Do you like great baseball broadcasting?  This game featured the golden voiced Vin Scully in his prime and that most excellent color man, Joe Garigiola.  I really enjoyed when they teamed up to call games back in the day.

With all the talk about the new renovations at Dodger Stadium, it's also cool to see old Dodger Stadium, and of course, the old Dodger players featured in that game.

I've been reading around about one of our latest blogger innovation -fad - events, the PWE Bomb.  Wes, the great and generous blogger from the awesome blog, Jaybarkerfan's Junk is perhaps, King of all PWE bombers, and it was my pleasure to receieve one of his cardboard bombs myself.

 I said it once, but I'll say it again. I can't have enough Mike Piazza cards.  This newest addition to my Piazza collection commemorates THE SINGLE MOST SHOCKING EVENT in all my time as a Dodger fan - the trading away of Mike Piazza.  This card mentions he was traded to the Mets. Apparently Pinnacle is ignoring he was sent to the Marlins first.

Here's another card of one of my past faves - Pedro "1981 World Series Co-MVP" Guerrero.   Who did he share the MVP award with?  None other than Night Owl's and my favorite Dodger, Ron Cey, and Boomer Steve Yeager.

Ugh! I hated Juan Pierre as a Dodger.  For some reason, when he got to Dodger Stadium, he forgot the type of hitter he was, and thought he was a home run hitter.  The inevitable result?  Multiple weak fly outs that made him a real hole in the lineup - as a leadoff batter, no less.

He partially redeemed himself when Manny Ramirez was serving a 50-game suspension.  He played like we always hoped he would and actually kept the Dodgers in contention while Ramirez was out.   He was a major reason we made the playoffs that season.

I gotta admit, Pierre or not, this is a great looking card.  

How about Jerry Reuss and his 70's TV detective mustache?

Another great Dodger.  I still miss our former 3rd baseman.

Closing out with a great looking sticker featuring Mariano playing at home.  Nice!

Thanks for the Bomb, Wes.  I really appreciate your generosity. you sent me some great cards, and all of them new for my collection!

 I'll be passing it forward to other bloggers as the days pass.  :)

THANKS for reading everybody.  Now I'm back to ESPN classic. It's the 6th inning....