Social Distancing Diary - With Baseball Cards

Aloha, everybody, 

Today we'll see my favorite Jackie Robinson cards, and one of my small PCs: Vintage World Series Subsets. 

Enjoy and aloha! 

Am I the Only One Worried When Kenley Jansen Pitches?

Aloha, everybody, 

Has anyone else noticed Kenley Jansen isn't exactly the dominant pitcher we thought we were getting when he signed that mega-money contract? 

He's barely pretty good, and frankly, he worries me when he takes the mound with a slim lead.

 Bonus: Let's look at the Jackie Robinson Night fan jersey.  

Hail the Holiest of Days for ATBATT - Jackie Robinson Day

Aloha, everybody, 

As many of you already know, the patron saint of ATBATT is the man whom I consider the greatest ballplayer of all time. 

Not because he hit the most home runs, or because he was the best fielder at his position. I chose Jackie Robinson to bless my humble little corner of the blogosphere and I reference him in my nom de blog (Stealing Home) because Jackie revolutionized the game of baseball. 

He played the game darn well, well enough to have an MLB award created because of his talents (Rookie of the Year), he played a key role in the only World Series championship the Brooklyn Dodgers ever won, inspired thousands - nay, millions - to succeed despite long odds, and he did it all with a target on his back, segregated from his own teammates, hated by his peers because of his skin color, and was required to take it. 

The only response his unimaginable task allowed was to be done with the tools of his trade: his bat, his glove and his cleats. 

"After the game, Jackie Robinson came into our clubhouse and shook my hand. He said, 'You're a helluva ballplayer and you've got a great future.' I thought that was a classy gesture, one I wasn't then capable of making. I was a bad loser. 
What meant even more was what Jackie told the press - 'Mantle beat us. He was the difference between the two teams.' 
I have to admit, I became a Jackie Robinson fan on the spot. When I think of that series, his gesture is what comes to mind. Here was a player that without a doubt suffered more abuse and more taunts and more hatred than any player in the history of the game. And he made a special effort to compliment and encourage a young, white kid from Oklahoma." - Mickey Mantle 

Robinson was important to all blacks. To make it into the majors and to take all the name calling, he had to be something special. He had to take all this for years. Not just for Jackie Robinson, but for the nation." - Willie Mays 

 "Give me five players like Robinson and a pitcher, and I'll beat any nine-man team in baseball." - Manager Chuck Dressen

"I liked Jackie Robinson because he was cooll to watch, not because he was black. Every time you turn around, he was hitting a triple or making a great play in the field, or best of all, stealing home." - Cheech Marin

"Jackie was speaking at a drugstore, and I said, 'I'm not going to get this opportunity again, so I better take my chances and listen to Jackie now.' Little did I know, I got front row seats, and next to me was my father." - Hank Aaron

Thanks for everything, Jackie. 

Aloha! 

World Series Dodgers Cardboard: Bums No More

Aloha, everybody, 

Here comes Part Two of the Dodgers on World Series cardboard. When we last saw our blue heroes, the hard luck Brooklyn team had earned the nickname of "Dem Bums" by breaking the hearts of their faithful time and again. They made it into plenty of  World Series, but just couldn't close the deal. 

That all changed in 1955. 

Once again, it was the damn Yankees vs the Dodgers. This time the boys from Brooklyn weren't bums, they were the Boys of Summer. 

 Lots of Dodgers fans will tell you that Sandy Koufax was the greatest Dodgers pitcher in the Fall Classic. Others will tell you it was Orel Bulldog Hershiser. 

My choice is the man who had to carry the weight of years of  Dodgers frustration to the mound. The hopes of everyone in the Brooklyn borough rode on his shoulders. Johnny Podres was the man who broke through the Yankees fortress and ended their postseason dominance over his team. It took all seven games to bring the first ever Worlds Championship to the Dodgers. 

Here's another card, same shot of the World Series hero...

One of the iconic images of that series, captured by Upper Deck Masterpieces...

1955 was the last WS played in Brooklyn. The team moved out to LA, and they won the pennant in 1959. It was LA's first Fall Classic, and the boys won it all in six games. 

 I'm chasing this subset. Still have a ways to go. 

The Dodgers' home field was the LA Coliseum. Game 5 drew 92,706, which still stands as the WS attendance record. It was also the first WS in which no pitcher for either side threw a complete game. 

The next crop of cards come from the 1963 series. It was the first time the Dodgers played the Yankees since 1955, and this time Sandy Koufax led the boys in blue to a four game sweep. 

The year is 1965, but the World Series hero is the same. Once again, Sandy Koufax led the team to the promised land. They beat the Minnesota Twins in seven games. 

Next time: Dodgers World Series that I remember! 

Aloha! 

The Dodgers are World Series Bound, so Let's See World Series Cardboard

Aloha, everybody, 

I'm sure you've all heard by now: The Dodgers are in the Fall Classic! The 29-year drought is over. The red, white and blue bunting will once again adorn Chavez Ravine, and the best team I've ever seen don the Dodgers uniform, is going to do battle with whomever wins that ALCS Game 7 tonight. 

The Dodgers have a long history of battling the Yankees in the WS, so I wouldn't mind one more chance to beat them. But I'm getting ahead of myself. The Dodgers' opponents might well be the Astros. 

While we're waiting for that outcome, let's check out some Dodgers World Series cards from my humble collection. Most of these are tribute cards from modern issues, but I've got some cool original vintage cards coming up as well. 

(Some of you may have seen some of these before, please indulge me. I'm quite excited to show these off one more time.) Here we go, in more or less chronological order...

In 1920, the Dodgers (also known as the Robins at the time) won the pennant, but they were defeated in the WS by the Cleveland Indians.

1941- Leo the Lip Durocher leads the Dodgers to win the pennant for the first time since 1920. The Yankees spoiled the Dodgers happiness and beat Brooklyn in five games. 

One more card from the '41 series. This is the first of my vintage cards. These Nu-Card Baseball Scoops come from 1961...

Here's the first of two beautiful die-cuts I received in trade. This first one harks back to the 1947 WS. The Dodgers lost to the Yanks again. This time it took seven games. 

BTW - 1947 was Jackie Robinson's first World Series. 

Two years later, it was Dodgers v Yanks yet again. Different year, same results. Yanks in five. (more vintage cardboard, from 1968)

Fast forward to 1952. This time the Yanks were defending three straight championships. The Dodgers lost the series in five. 

Here's the second of those pennant die-cuts. In the 1953 WS, the Yankees were now four-time champs, and the Dodgers were trying once again to take that world's championship for themselves. No dice. 

 Here's a great action shot from the '53 series. It features Campy tagging out Billy Martin to end Game 4. Alas, the Bums lost to NY again. This time, in six games. 

Stay tuned, because next time: The Dodgers finally get over the hump and win their first World Series. 

Aloha! 

World Cup of Trading Loot for Trade Deadline Day

Aloha, everybody, 

Did you participate in the World Cup of Trading? It was the final big bash, wahoo trade-a-thon sponsored by my great hermano, Wes, of Willinghammer Rising and JayBarkerFan fame. 

Wes put up a ton of offerings for trade, and all we had to do was pick a few items and trade back. I love that Wes' events are always simple, but the end results are far from it, and often spectacular. 

Here are the goods that I selected from Wes. Leading off is my first auto from one of the Boys of Summer, the Duke of Flatbush. 

Sweet, right? That wasn't my only autograph score. This next one is from an LA Dodger, who patrolled right field with a canon for an arm, and hit monster home runs. 

Nope, not Yasiel Puig. 

Raaaaaaaauuuuuuul Mondesi. 

This joins my very modest collection of signed baseballs, and proudly sits beside another of my favorite autographed spheres...

 Yup, signed by the big man hisself. Awesome. 

You know me, I've gotta have some vintage in my picks as well. I chose this baby.

1962 World Series MVP Ralph Terry. This card also slots right into my defunct teams collection. 

Terry wasn't just a WS hero, he also tasted WS ashes. He gave up the home run bomb to fellow WS hero, Bill Mazeroski in the 1960 Fall Classic. Great pick up. 

Those were the items I chose. As I said earlier, Wes takes simple things and makes them spectacular. Don't think for a minute that was all he sent to me. 

Sit back and check out this bonus loot my bro from Alabama sent as well. It's a stack THIS THICK! 

First up, more Brooklyn Dodgers. Forgive the scanner crop. Trust me, this Jackie Robinson Bowman refractor is complete and a beauty. 

Really digging these Diamond Kings. They've become my favorites of all the DK offerings. 

Jumping to present day LA, it's Yasiel. 

How about some shiny Mike Piazza. This Bowman is gorgeous. That's right. Cardboard gorgeousity. 

 I remember chasing these 1996 Leaf Preferred steel cards. Now I've got Piazza! 

After a particularly lousy season at the plate, in 1993 Jose Offerman abandoned all batting convention and employed an unorthodox "samurai chop" style swing. Needless to say, this method didn't work too well for him either. 

Here's a favorite. It's a Don Drysdale pull out card from Stouffers. That Stouffers lasagna is one of my guilty secrets. Love the stuff. 

Here's the Dodgers' present day skipper. 

One of my favorite cards of the bunch. The spacey kaleidoscope  effect on this Mondesi card makes the world around me drip. 

Young Dodgers coming up! 

Speaking of trades, the Dodgers just announced they traded Willie Calhoun to Texas for Yu Darvish. While I'm happy enough to get Yu, I'm really sorry to see Calhoun go. 

That said, it's probably a good move for Willie. He's going to the AL where his iffy defense won't be an issue. I'm sure he's going to be raking for the Rangers as a DH for a long time. 

In a return to simplicity, Wes also included a chip shot at my Dodgers team sets want list. Check off 1976 Rick Rhoden. 

Sadly, this was the swan song of trading with Wes via bloggery. However, this is far from the end of cardboard exchanges with my hermano. THANKS, Wes! 

Aloha!