Back From The Island Paradise

Aloha, everybody.  Hawaii was fabulous, exciting, fun, dramatic and a real blast. I can't wait to go back again. 

Here's some quick observations from my trip:

If you're like me, an L.A. Dodger fan who has no access to your beloved team on television, just book a flight out of LAX and watch the game in one of the airport bars. Problem solved.

70% of L.A. Dodger fans have no access to the Dodgers on TV, but apparently, the 95% of THE WORLD passing through LAX can watch them.

I only caught the All-Star Game in snippets, but it seemed first-time AS Dee Gordon kicked some 'A' on the bases and with the leather. 

When Gordon scored the first ASG run of his career, he was greeted by a pumped up and emotionally high NL dugout.  However, Yasiel Puig, the man at the far end of the dugout, had a sour puss look and appeared jealous. He didn't even high five Gordon.

 There are SF colors everywhere, and I mean EVERYWHERE around Oahu, especially the Windward Coast and North Shore areas where I spent most of my time. A lot wore 49ers gear, but most wore Giants colors. It was like being constantly surrounded by enemy flags. Dodger fans, if you're headed to Hawaii - REPRESENT! 

More on this next post

If you're going to get married there, have a sunset ceremony, as did my friend.  The sun is much too brutal for afternoon pics wearing gowns and tuxedos on an open beach.  I saw a few wedding parties cooking out there in the afternoon. 

 Girls in bikinis and gorgeous sunsets will quickly take your mind off the fact there aren't any baseball games on. 

Next post: I found something sports-related for us on my trip! 
Aloha!

A Humble Tony Gwynn Story For A Sunday

I'm far from a San Diego Padres fan, but I'm most definitely a Tony Gwynn fan. 

I grew up watching Gwynn compete against my Dodger heroes.  I respected him as a player, and I recall he played very well in his only shots at World Series titles. I thoroughly remember when all of baseball watched his batting average as he flirted with hitting .400.

In the days since Tony's passing, I've read and heard numerous stories about Tony Gwynn being a kind, personable and all-around nice guy. I'd like to now add my small testimony to that fact. 

I actually have one and "a half" stories attesting to Tony's great attitude toward us, the fans. The half story is a simple one.  Gwynn was nice enough to sign a couple of cards TTM for me. Not a big deal, really, but a big enough deal for me, a true Gwynn fan.  

My other breif brush with Mr. Padre occured a couple of years ago when the All-Star game was held in Anaheim (not Los Angeles - An - a - heim).  Although I didn't attend the game, I grabbed the family and we headed out to the All-Star Fanfest held at the Convention Center. 

The day we were there, Gwynn was holding a hitting clinic for kids.  They had a small baseball diamond set up inside the Convention Center, and although I could see Gwynn working with the kids, he was certainly busy, and there was no way I was going to get close to him.  

After a couple of hours seeing the great exhibits and waiting in line for different Fanfest treats, we left the boys to stand in line for something or another, and my old lady and I plopped down at a table in the food court area to enjoy a cold drink and a bit of rest. 
Our table was right at the edge of the food court roped off border and close to some rear exit doors leading out of the convention center. 

At one point I looked up and who was walking toward those exit doors- and toward us? It was none other than Tony Gwynn (and a few other folks surrounding him).  

As the group approached us, I caught Tony's eye and said, "Hey there, Mr. Baseball!"  Tony looked over at me and smiled.  He slowed a bit and said hello and asked if we were enjoying ourselves.  I said yup, we waved so long, and he was on his way past us and out the doors.  

It was a small moment in time, a breif encounter with a Hall of Famer, and one that will remain with me for the rest of my life.

 

Jaybarkerfan Draft Loot (slash) Trade Bait

Hey everybody,

Here comes some new trade bait for all of you, courtesy of a great draft that was held over at the great  Jaybarlerfan's Junk.  Wes generously held a draft that was free, and offered some fantastic pakages and small groups of cards.

When he first announced his draft I thought it would be fairly simple to get in since there were plenty of spots and all we had to do was post a comment and then get picked up by the randomizer.  It didn't take too many missed rounds for me to realize every blogger around me was getting into the draft, but I was still on the outside. 

The entry selection process started to dwindle to the last 5 spaces and I started to feel like I might not make it.  Quick enough there were only 3 slots remaining, then 2, and then only one - and I STILL wasn't in!  As Vinny says, I was down to my last strike, and then the draft gods smiled upon me.  BANG!  I nailed the last slot and I was in.  Wahoo! 

Wes ran a fun and easy draft, and my prizes arrived just the other day.  I won the "Moonshots" package.  Presenting the loot...


Let's lead off with former Dodger backstop Paul Lo Duca.  Why is he trade bait?  I only want my Dodgers with Dodger gear, thank you.  That said, the awesome action photo really makes it a great card for a Lo Duca or Marlin collector.

Speaking of players whom I don't normally collect, but are featured on great looking cardboard, we get the Big Unit on a very handsome card - Numbered 411/799

How about this sweet card?  If nobody wants to trade I will be perfectly happy to keep this All-Star game - HOME RUN DERBY WORN relic in my collection.  This card is bad-ass...

Speaking of bad-ass, the  final card is the one Wes named the group of cards after.  It's a Shawn Green relic.  Yes, its got a generic scoreboard in the graphi, but I really dig this design.  The photo works great and the swatch blends in seamlessly with everything else.  

That's all for today folks.  Thanks for reading. 

Dodgers All Stars In Championship Years 1981 1988

Welcome, beloved readers and treasured trade partners, to the final installment covering the past Dodgers who participated in All Star games during their respective World Championship years.

The last time the Boys in Blue won the W.S. was back in the 80's.  We had bookend victories, at the start and end of the decade.  First up...

1981

 Gary Carter hit two HRs and he was MVP.   The '81 squad featured a whopping half-dozen Dodgers!  Bruce Bochy's head woulda exploded!  And I woulda loved it...

Garvey didn't start, but he had two ABs, and he hit a double.

Pay-Dro  Goo-Rare-Oh pinch hit and struck out.  No worries, as Pedro went on that season to become an MVP in the World Series. 

Happy Hooten pitched a 1-2-3 fifth inning and struck out George Brett.   He got hammered in the sixth, giving up 3 small ball runs. 

Lopes started at 2B.  He came up once, and walked. No SB.

Fernando was the starting pitcher.  He gave up 2 hits, but no runs.

Dusty Baker entered the game in the 6th, and had two ABs, hitting one single.  At least he didn't jinx the National Leaguers, as they won 5-4.

1988

1988's contest was played in Oakland-Alameda Stadium.  The National Leaguers won 2-0.  The N.L. returned once again at the end of the '88 season in the form of the Dodgers...

Bulldog entered in the 5th inning.  He got Harold Reynolds, Kirby Puckett and Wade Boggs to ground out.  Now-Dodger Manager Damn Mattingly walked.

He went out and pitched the 6th as well, facing the minimum batters.  Tony Fernandez, George Bell and Dave Winfield went out 1-2-3 against the Bulldog.

Dodgers All Stars In Championship Years 1963 & 1965

Hey Everybody,

Here's Part 3 of the compelling series featuring Dodgers who played in the All Star game during years the team won the World Series.  This time it's...

1963 

If you checked out Part 2 of the series, you'll remember they played double header A.S. games from 1959-62.  1963 returned us all to the single game format.  The game was played in Cleveland Stadium, and it was the final of Stan Musial's 24 - I said 24! - A.S. games!   The N.L. won 5-3.

 Tommy Davis started in LF and batted lead off.  He singled, walked, and scored a run.  Defensively, he threw out Nellie Fox at 3rd base. 

Wills may have been elected to the '63 squad based on his 1962 season accomplishment detailed in the card above, but unfortunately, he rode the pine during this year's A.S. game.

Speaking of Dodgers who were on the A.S. team but didn't play, Sandy Koufax sat on the bench next to Wills and didn't get a chance to play either.  You would think it was Bruce "I don't play Dodgers" Boche managing, rather than Alvin Dark.

Drysdale pitched the bottom of the 8th.  He struck out Elston Howard and Carl Yaztremski, then got Joe Pepitone to fly out.

In the 9th, he got the first batter, Luis Aparicio to fly out.  Brooks Robinson singled, and Drysdale closed out the game by getting Bobby Richardson to hit into a double play.

1965

 1965 brought us Koufax and Drysdale once again. They tag-teamed with Drysdale pitching in the 5th and Koufax the 6th.

Drysdale only saw one batter, getting Rocky Colavito to ground out.

Koufax saw 5 batters in the 6th, struck out one, and got the win.

Wills was the starting shortstop and picked up one base hit.  The N.L. won 6-5.

Next Post:  The Dodgers reappear in the '80s.

Dodgers All-Stars in World Championship Years Part 2 1959

Welcome Readers and Trade Partners,

Here's the Dodgers that were selected to the two - yes, TWO - All Star games that were played in 1959.

They actually played two A.S. games during the years 1959 to 1962.  Why two?  The long story can be found in an article here.  The short answer is, they did it for money.

It seems the players felt they weren't being paid enough to play in an exhibition game, so in order to increase revenues, MLB established a second game, with part of the proceeds going toward the player's pension fund.  After a few years of that experiment, they decided to return to just playing one game and simply paying the players more in the first place. 

In the first year of double dipper All-Stars, Game 2 was played at the L.A. Coliseum. Here are the Dodgers who made the grade...

1959 

GAME 1 -  In the first of 8 trips to the All Star game, "Knock 'Em Down" Drysdale dominated.  He was the starting pitcher, throwing three no-hit innings, while striking out four.  He struck out Nellie Fox, Al Kaline, Rocky Calavito and Early Wynn.  He was the winning pitcher.

GAME 2 - Drysdale had mixed results in the second game.  He pitched 3 innings, striking out 5.  However, he was also lit up for 2 home runs (Frank Malzone and Yogi Berra) and gave up 3 earned runs.  This time he was tagged with the loss.

For an added bonus, our Wally Moon card is brought to us courtesy of my latest trade with today's birthday boy, Mr. Night Owl.

GAME 1 - Wally Moon started in LF.  He had a walk and struck out twice, once looking. 

GAME 2- Moon again started in LF.  He walked twice, flied out and hit into a double play.

GAME 2 - Charlie Neal had one AB and he grounded out.  But as you can see in the card above, Neal followed through on that '59 season to become a World Series hero for the Blue.

GAME 2 - Gilliam had a good game considering he didn't even start.  He had 2 ABs with one solo home run and one walk. 


Next Post: 1963. Welcome to the All Stars, Mr. Koufax.

Dodgers All-Stars in World Championship Years Part 1 - 1955

Hey there, readers and trade partners,

With the All-Star festivities taking place, and almost no Dodgers on the All-Star team, I had to find a way to get the Boys in Blue (and myself) involved.

So I figured, how's about a positive celebration and take a look at which Dodgers made past All-Star teams in the years we won the World Series.  I'll include cards from their actual All-Star years when possible.  When I can't show a player's card from that year, you'll know that's a hole in my collection -  and i need my fellow blogonauts to help me fill that in.   

First up are the All-Stars from the Brooklyn Dodgers' first and only championship season -

1955  

The '55 contest was the 22nd A.S. game, and it was held in the home of the Milwaukee Braves.  

The National Leaguers came back from a 5-run deficit and won 6-5.  Stan Musial hit the first pitch he saw in the 12th inning for a walk off, victory home run.  Yet another reason why he's called "The Man". 
 

 Campy was selected for the game, but he had a leg injury and didn't play. 

Newk pitched a scoreless inning with one strike out.

Hodges pinch hit and knocked out a single.

The Duke of Flatbush started in CF and went 0 for 2.

Next Post: 1959 - And they played TWO games!