Vintage Dodgers Memorabilia from Laker Dave

Aloha, everyone, 

Let's open a package full of Dodgers memorabilia sent to me from Laker Dave. 

Enjoy and aloha! 

Presenting the World's Greatest Sports Jersey; The Dick Mountain Timeshare

Aloha, everybody, 

Do you remember the great Fourth of July game at Dodger Stadium between the Dodgers and Pirates? 

During that game, after an incredible adventure around the bases, Rich Hill died at home plate. The keepers of the Dick Mountain Timeshare (of which I am happily a member) are keeping the Legend of Dick Mountain alive - and this is how we're doing it. 

Aloha! 

I Went to Walker Buehler's Debut Game. Wanna See Some Pics?

Aloha, everybody, 

I got invited to the ballgame last night to see the Dodger Stadium debut of Dodgers phenom Walker Buehler. The seats were just as awesome as the kid. 

The bonus was I got to see an incredible game by Kike Hernandez. He made two brilliant plays on the field, hit a home run and laid down a crucial eighth inning bunt single that directly led to the game winning run scoring. By the way, Buehler pitched five scoreless innings. What a game! 

Here are a few pics from my night at Chavez Ravine. Leading off is the kid, Buehler. His fastball is so fast, the ball's already in Grandal's mitt while the batter is still waiting for it to arrive. 

Here's Yasiel Puig giving the ump his opinion of the generous strike zone (which wasn't so wide for Buehler). 

The most excellent view from my seats! A special shoutout and THANKS to my friend Naomi for sharing her ticket with me. They were the best seats in the house. 

Chris Taylor in action. 

Hey! It's Tommy Lasorda! 

Buehler staring in at the signs. I think this was his last (or second to the last pitch of the night). Note the "Big K" scoreboard showing his five strikeouts. 

The kid bringing the heat. 

Here's me in my homemade Buehler jersey. It says Bradley under there. 

There's Nomah! See the schnozz? 

Here's Joc Pederson with his strange "pitch this" batting ritual. I sure hope the Dodgers' marketing team uses this pose for his bobblehead. 

Here's Kike Hernandez laying down his brilliant bunt single, which advanced Chris Taylor to third base. 

That was followed by Cody Bellinger's sac fly to bring home the winning run. 

The seats were fantastic, the Dodgers won, and I had an awesome time. THANKS, Naomi! 

Aloha! 

The President of Card Bloggers Sent Cards to Me

Aloha, everybody, 

As the above title notes, I received a package from the dean of card bloggers, the GBOAT (Greatest Blogger of All Time), the venerable, wise old owl - who probably won't appreciate being referred to as old.  Indeed, if the blogger world had a president, this man would be that...Mr. Night Owl. 

We all know it's a good day when a package of cards arrives in the mail, but it's a very good day when I find a package from Night Owl. 

Lots of folks send Dodgers cards to N.O., and if I'm lucky, I receive some of the cardboard runoff from his bounty. Night Owl ends up with plenty of dupes and upgrades, and that's where we fellow Dodgers bloggers come in. The trickle down economics theory may not work out in the real world, but it sure does apply in the blogosphere. 

Let's have a look at (just a sample of) the goodies that came to me from the frigid and snowed over east. 

Leading off is an absolutely beautiful hologram 3-D card from the 30th anniversary of Dodger Stadium. THIS is how to do 3-D illusion right. The stadium image lifts right off the card surface and stands upright...

Young Joc on a sweet Diamond Kings rookie card edition...

What about the Brooklyn boys? Sir Night Owl always delivers...

I love how this shot of Campy shows the tools of ignorance in their full glory. Compare that chest protector to the almost tiny flak jackets catchers wear today. 

These are from 1979 TCMA Star of the 50's. I now have six of these Dodgers. Time to find out how many more I need to complete the Dodgers set. 

Jumping to the LA club and a Dodgers star from the 60's...

The 70's brought awesome 'staches to the Dodgers...

Here's Charlie Hough, the Dodgers' resident knuckleballer for many a year...

Steve Sax brings us into the 80's on 1985 O-Pee-Chee...

The next decade brought Raaaaaauuuuuuuuullllll....

Looks like a cold day in Chi-Town in this shot. Mondi's wearing winter headgear and the ivy has gone brown. 

If you think Dodgers baseball in the early 00's, you've gotta include the one who got away, Adrian Beltre...

Numbered cards? Yes, please...

Brown had such an unlikeable personality, but I'll admit, I liked it when he took the mound. He was lights out! 

Here's one for the Tatooine crowd...

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wish they'd shipped Tracy to Tatooine. 

Speaking of the great ones who got away...

The card is dark, so it's not easy to read the name of this Dodgers prospect. It's appropriate because it was a dark day Paul Konerko was traded away. I'll never forgive Tommy for that one. The Dodgers received Jeff Shaw, one of the elite closers in the game at the time. Pfffffffffffffftttttttttt!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally, the one who didn't get away. 

The Teenager on a pre- LA Dodgers, Oklahoma City Dodgers card!!! Wow! 

Now THAT'S what you get when the president sends you cards. 

THANKS Night Owl! 

Aloha! 

Bad Camera Productions Presents: A Winter's Trip To Dodger Stadium

Aloha, everybody, 

Dodger Stadium was holding a special Winter Holiday sale at their Top of the Park giftshop, and they were were tossing in the promise of Dodgers autographs and the chance to check out the 1981 World Series trophy. That was enough for me, so I headed off to the stadium. 

It was a Saturday afternoon, but LA traffic is plenty thick no matter the day or time. 

Rats, a detour! Being Saturday, it turned out there was some kind of parade right on the street I needed access to. They closed off Broadway, which meant I couldn't get to Vin Scully Avenue. I had to reroute around the maze of tiny hilltop streets that surround the stadium. 

I eventually made it, and the Dodger signing autographs in the giftshop was Derrel Thomas, a member of the 1981 World Series championship team. 

Thomas played for a number of organizations, including perhaps the entire NL West. He also holds the distinction of playing every position on the field, except for pitching. 

Derrel beamed a great smile and was very friendly. He was gracious enough to sign two cards for me today - as I classified them to him, "one with your ever-lovin' smile, and one with you in action." 

As you can see above, Thomas is listed as playing outfield (I suppose this refers to all fields) and second base. 

It looks like Thomas adds a little arrowhead at the end of his signature. Is it something pointing upward, or perhaps a playful devil's tail? I wish I'd noticed at the time and asked him about it. 

I also had the thrill of seeing the 1981 World Series trophy up close, with no glass between us. 

I also bought myself something from the giftshop, but that will go under the Christmas tree, not to be opened until the 25th. 

I was done baseball shopping, so I popped outside to get a peek at the hallowed field. On one of the walls, I noticed this plaque, honoring Hammerin' Hank Aaron. 

It says Aaron hit his last home run (number 676) at Dodger Stadium on April 15, 1973. It's amazing that Hank ended with 755 homers, but he never hit another at Chavez Ravine. BTW, the Dodgers won that game 6-2. 

Out on the field, there were some youth baseball teams having practice. What a thrill to be a kid and practice at Dodger Stadium. I wondered if there were former Dodgers down there giving tips. 

Time to leave the magic of Dodger Stadium and head back into the reality of the city...but first, fish tacos on the way home! 

Aloha! 

Celebrating Don Drysdale's Birthday With Cardboard

Aloha, everybody,

While checking my Twitter feed this morning, I discovered something very cool. 

Fellow dyed-in-blue Dodgers fan and friend, Clyle (@clylealt), reminded us all that today is Don Drysdale's birthday. Big D.

For the first few years after the Dodgers arrived in LA from Brooklyn, that New York feeling was very strong. Almost all of the players hailed back to the Brooklyn club and old Ebbets Field. 

Drysdale was instrumental in helping the Dodgers form their first baseball identity in Los Angeles. 

Is that old time Wrigley Field ivy lurking in the card above? 
 
He paired up with Sandy Koufax to form a solid one, two punch at the top of the Dodgers' pitching rotation. Think Kershaw and Greinke and you'll get the idea. 

What's a birthday without some floating heads?
 

Drysdale and Koufax exploited the layout of early Dodger Stadium and dominated early 60's pitching. 

 Big D and Sandy also made their mark on player's salaries and contracts when they played hardball with the Dodgers by simultaneously holding out for record-breaking compensation.

 Big D owned that plate. If you thought otherwise and leaned in a bit too far, Drysdale was not shy about letting you know who that plate belongs to. 

 Drysdale held the MLB most shutout innings pitched record at 58 2/3 innings before it was broken by Bulldog Hershiser twenty years later, at 59. 

 After retirement Drysdale became the Dodgers' TV announcer. I may be hated for saying this, but I always found Drysdale's baseball announcing work to be boring. I used to call him Dull Drysdale. 

Whether he was an exciting announcer or not, he was an exciting player, and one of the last connections from Brooklyn to LA. 

 Aloha!