Legendary Auctions: Stuff From Chuck Connors

Before you knew him as The Rifleman he was a Brooklyn Dodger first baseman trying to stick with the big club. Heck, before that he was a forward for the Boston Celtics. Chuck Connors was a man who could do anything. He was athletically gifted and had a flare for acting. His hit show, The Rifleman, ran 1958 to 1963.

Legendary Auctions current offering includes various items bearing his name. Below is his 1948 Montreal Royals (the Dodger AAA Minor League club at the time) Governor's Cup Champions ring. It sold for $2,200.00.

Auction Link: Ring:

This is the neatest item of all. Below is a George Sosnak painted ball featuring Chuck Connors. Now you should know why Sosnak artworks are highly prized within the collector community. This ball is stunning. It sold for $4,000.00.

Auction Link: Chuck Conner Sosnak Ball:

eBay: Dodger Stuff

Here are some great Dodger items I found on eBay recently. Below is a UPI Press Photo of Preacher Roe being congratulated by his Dodger teammates after winning the 2nd game of the 1949 World Series against the Yankees.

eBay Auction: Roe Photo:

In my opinion, the best vintage photos you can get come directly from the fans. Below is a fan created photo of Brooklyn Dodger first base coach Jake Pitler. With the palm trees in the background I would be willing to bet that this is a Spring Training photo. He was a coach for the Brooklyn team from 1947 to 1957 (their last year in the borough). Later on he continued his employment with the Dodgers as a scout.

eBay Auction Link: Pitler Photo:

I have never played or even heard of this vintage Baseball card game. It is called Big League Manager and below is the team set for the 1957 Brooklyn Dodgers. I love the cartoon drawing of the old Brooklyn "Bum."

eBay Auction Link: 1957 Brooklyn Big League Manager Game:

Has anyone ever heard of the Pepsi Dodger Fan Club? Below is a patch celebrating this group in 1972.

eBay Auction Link: Patch:

Sports Collectibles Makeover

As a sports collector geek I find this intriguing. Unfortunately, I live on the West Coast and I rent currently so this announcement is lost on me, but I'm sure there are some worthy folks out there who could use some organization and makeover help. I believe this show may coincide with the National Sports Card Collectors Convention being held in Baltimore next year. From an email I just received from The National.

The HGTV Network is looking to power up with some strong "male" dominance by picking a sports super home to do a fabulous TV "Make Over". Do your sports collectibles grow like weeds instead of flowers? Is it one mess from the doorway to doorway? Then you might be the lucky person who becomes a hero to your wife and family, as HGTV comes in and gives you the ultimate home makeover.

Turn your collection into a true sports presentation. HGTV is casting for families in NY, NJ, CT, PA, MD, MA and other Northeast locations.

Email us about your situation at home, what you've got, where you live, etc. and we will turn all emails over to the casting director of HGTV. This is the real deal! Be on TV and get your sports stuff looking GREAT!

Send all emails to: nicole.ford@leopardfilms.com

All e-mails must be received by 12/31/09 to be eligible.

Card of the Week: Who Me?

Above is this weeks "Card of the Week" and it features a surprised Torii Hunter. The card is a 2008 Topps Heritage card that borrows its designed from the vintage 1959 Topps set. In this card, Torii Hunter looks as shocked as anyone as he pulled off a double-whammy of season ending awards. He took home his 9th consecutive Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger Awards this past season.

Blog Kiosk: 11/15/2009

Only 3 1/2 months til Spring Training.

• Lemke shows off his recent creation of a 1969 Steve Garvey rookie card.
• How did I miss this? Night Owl Cards made a great post back in August celebrating Hideo Nomo's birthday. He shows off a bunch of Nomo cards. It's awesome.
  
• Sully writes a great story featuring unlikely pitchers to finish a World Series.
  
• Follow GCRL as he tries to complete a signed 1978 Dodgers Topps team set. He just received a signed Elias Sosa card.
• Here is a video of the Twins new ball field, Target Field.
  
• An amazing turn of events. After a 53 year run, Topps will no longer be making football cards. They recently lost their license with the NFL Players Association.
  
• Check out some of these great photos on Boston.com from Veterans Day.
  
• In honor of Veterans Day, ESPN is running a series of articles featuring prominent athletes who also served in the Armed Forced. Ralph Kiner writes about his own experiences.
  
• Rinku and Dinesh, winners of the $1,000,000.00 Arm in India and subsequent professional contract with the Pirates, returns home for the Winter to rousing applause. Check it out here. (Hat Tip: Baseball Musings)
  
• Pigeon Impossible.

YouTube Link:
Hat Tip: The Big Picture:

• The video below is some funny and entertaining stuff.

YouTube Link:
Hat Tip: Big League Stew:

Hunt Auctions: Dodger Art and History

Hunt Auction is once again holding their 6th Annual Live Auction at the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory this month. There are some "doozies" here including a complete run of autographed & game-used Baseball All-Star jerseys (including Dodgers Broxton, Billingsley & Hudson) from 2009 and Curt Flood's personal collection of memorabilia and drawings.

In fact, I am going to start this post by featuring a one-of-a-kind drawing from Curt Flood of Tommy Lasorda. As some of you know, Flood is an accomplished artist. He initially started painting for other ballplayers, but soon became well known outside that community. A look through this catalog online or in book form will give you a nice peek at some of his work. Check out this incredible painting of Bob Gibson.

(Auction Link: Lasorda Drawing by Flood)

Another very popular Baseball artist is George Sosnak.

Self-taught as an artist, Sosnak (1924-1992) had devoted his life to the game as a fan, player and minor league umpire, even when that meant holding a day job as well. His best-known works are actual manufactured baseballs intricately decorated for a special occasion with India ink and then hand colored.

He painted about 800 baseballs. Below is something a little different from him. It is a 5x8 envelope that has been converted into a canvas and then subsequently mailed in 1988 to a relative. It is a great painting featuring Kirk Gibson's game winning home run blast against Dennis Eckersley during the 1988 series.

(Auction Link: Sosnak 1988 WS Drawing)

The final two items are just incredible. Being made available for the first time are a pair of game-used vintage jerseys from the 1948 Brooklyn Dodger season that were worn by Pee Wee Reese and Jackie Robinson. They came directly from a former coach of one of the Dodger farm teams. Apparently, at the end of each season the big club would hand down old jerseys, pants and caps. Then, they would have the minor league coaches wear them when meeting new incoming players. Afterwards, everything was either sold or just given away.

Below is Pee Wee Reese's jersey. Click on the photo to see a larger view.

(Auction Link: PeeWee Reese Jersey)

Here is Jackie Robinson's jersey. Click on the photo to see a larger view.

(Auction Link: Robinson Jersey)

Dodger Gold Gloves

A hearty congratulations to both Matt Kemp and Orlando Hudson for winning Gold Gloves in their respective positions.

For Matt this is his first Gold Glove award, and I suspect it won't be his last. From the press release:

"Kemp led all Major League center fielders and ranked third among all big league outfielders with 14 outfield assists. His .995 fielding percentage was third among NL center fielders, behind Gold Glove winner Shane Victorino and Nate McLouth. The Oklahoma native made just two errors on the season. "

Way to go Bison! Past Dodger winners of a Gold Glove in centerfield include Steve Finley in 2004 and Willie Davis (3 times) from 1971 to 1973.
For Orlando Hudson, who most likely will not be wearing Blue next year, he won his 4th Gold Glove award. From the press release:

"In 145 games at second base, Hudson made just eight errors and posted a .988 fielding percentage (T-4^th, NL), which ranked fifth on the franchise’s single-season list by a second baseman, behind Jody Reed (.993, in 1993), Jackie Robinson (.992 in 1951), Charlie Neal (.989 in 1959), and Mark Grudzielanek (.989 in 2002). In September, the 2009 All-Star was named by Baseball America as the best defensive second baseman in the publication’s annual tools issue. "

Hudson is the 3rd Dodger to win the award at 2nd base. The other two were Davey Lopes and Charlie Neal.

Happy Veterans Day

As declared by President Woodrow Wilson, "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day'." It has since been renamed Veterans' Day. We honor, on this day, the men and women who have served this country.

YouTube Link:

Also, please check GCRL great post where he shares a homemade card he made of former Dodger Roy Gleason. He fought in Vietnam and was the only Baseball soldier to have been wounded in action. He even sent a copy to Roy and received a nice note back. Go and check it out.

Thank You Luc Robitaille

My life as a hockey fanatic began around the time Luc Robitaille first stepped on the ice wearing a Kings purple and gold jersey. He was immediately magic on the ice. He scored his first goal on the very first shift when he touched the puck for the first time as a NHL professional. He was subsequently given the nickname of "Lucky," but luck had nothing to do with it. He had a scorers touch that developed from hard work and determination. He wanted to succeed and did all he could to achieve his goals. Now, he finds himself in the company of greats.

This afternoon Los Angeles Kings left winger Luc Robitaille was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Below is his induction speech.

Card of the Week: Focus

This is one of the most mesmerizing cards I've ever seen. It is from the1984 Donruss set, and features old-time Dodger Ken Landreaux in the midst of checking his swing. This card always makes me a little loopy since the off-focus background reminds me of a psychedelic trip through a Grateful Dead haze.

Anyone got some incense and patchouli? How about some veggie egg rolls and grilled cheese sandwiches?

2 Dodgers Named Topps Minor League Player of the Year

Dee Gordon and Brian Cavazos-Galvez have been named 2009 Topps Minor League Players of the Year for their play in their respective leagues. One interesting note is that former Dodger prospect Carlos Santana, who was a part of the trade for Casey Blake, was also a winner for his outstanding play in the Eastern League. We may come to regret losing him. Anyway, from the Dodgers Press release:

Gordon won the honors in the Single-A Midwest League, batting .301 with a league-leading 73 steals and 12 triples for the Great Lakes Loons. Gordon also earned the Branch Rickey Award as the Dodgers’ Minor League Player of the Year, Midwest League Prospect of the Year, and league co-Most Valuable Player. He was also selected to Baseball America ’s Mid-Season Minor League All-Star team for all levels of play and to the league’s mid-season and postseason All-Star teams. The 21-year-old ranked among the leaders for all full-season minor league players in steals (second), in triples (tied for eighth), in hits (11th), and in runs (15th) in his second year in professional baseball after being selected in the fourth round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft.

(Pic Link: MiLB)

Cavazos-Galvez claimed the award for the Rookie-advanced Pioneer League, batting .322 with a league-leading 18 homers for the Ogden Raptors. Cavazos-Galvez, 22, won the league’s Most Valuable Player Award and was named to the league All-Star team after being selected in the 12th round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of New Mexico . He also led the circuit with 97 hits, 50 extra base hits, 59 runs, and 29 doubles, and also ranked second in the league with 63 RBI. Brian’s father, Balvino Galvez, played eight seasons in the Dodger organization, pitching in 10 games for the Dodgers in 1986, his lone Major League experience.

Blog Kiosk: 11/8/2009

A congratulations to Luc Robitaille on his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame this coming Monday.

"On the lighter side, the good thing about me is I never had a step (quick move up ice), so I never lost it," he said. "That's why, maybe, I was able to play 19 years."

• Here is a great photo of a very young Jerry Doggett and Vin Scully, via If Charlie Parker was a Gunslinger...
• The #5 Type Card Collector introduces us to the 1978 Post Cereal Steve Garvey Baseball Tips set.
• Here is a great read about Maury Wills in the Washington Post. (Hat Tip: Inside the Dodgers)
  
• Read a little bit about a recent find of some vintage soccer cards in Canada.
  
• The Olympic medals for the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver are very cool looking. Not only that, each medal is unique from any other medal that will be given out. See the video here about how they were conceived and made. (Hat Tip: Bit Rebels)
• Sports Locker meets the men of Easy Company and gets their autos at a book signing.
  
• Wow. Check out these pics of the Martian landscape at Boston.com.
• Someone pulled the Cy Young, Ty Cobb, Tris Speaker autographed card! (Hat Tip: Wax Heaven)

Gary Nickels- King of Scouts

(pic link: eBay)

Not only is Dodger scout, Gary Nickels, being inducted into the Midwest Scouts Association Hall of Fame in a couple of days, but he also has had an illustrious career as a print advertising pitchman for State Farm. Check it out above. Also, check out the press release below provided by the Dodgers this afternoon. One thing of special note is that he was the mentor to our guru of scouting, Logan White.

Dodger Midwest Scouting Supervisor Gary Nickels will be inducted into the Midwest Scouts Association Hall of Fame on November 7 and the Mid Atlantic Scouts Association Hall of Fame on November 14.

“ Gary is the most professional, punctual, organized and thorough baseball man I know,” said Dodger Assistant General Manager of Scouting Logan White. “I have had the good fortune to have been hired and mentored by this man when I was a young scout, and he is the epitome of a class act in all facets of life.”

The 2009 season is Nickels’ 38th as a scout, and seventh in his current position. Notable current Dodgers drafted under his supervision include Chad Billingsley, Clayton Kershaw, Scott Elbert, Blake DeWitt, Cory Wade, and A.J. Ellis. His scouting territory includes Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

The Midwest Scouts Association Hall of Fame induction will occur at the Midwest Scouts Association Banquet at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. He will be inducted along with Mike Radcliff of the Minnesota Twins and Bill Bryk of the San Diego Padres during the event’s dinner at 7:00 p.m.

The Mid Atlantic Scouts Association (MASA) Hall of Fame induction will take place at its annual banquet at Ripken Stadium in Aberdeen , Maryland . Nickels’ name will also be added to the Hall of Fame plaque which hangs permanently at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland .

Nickels worked for four clubs prior to joining the Dodgers in 2003. From 1999-2002, he served as the San Diego Padres’ Pro Scouting Director following nine years in Baltimore as the Orioles’ Scouting Director (1991-98) and Midwest Supervisor/Crosschecker (1989-90). He also was the Chicago Cubs’ Midwest Region Supervisor from 1982-88 and got his start in baseball as an Administrative Assistant, Scouting (1972-75) and Area Scout (1976-81) for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Dodgers Decline Garland's Option

(Photo courtesy of Jon SooHoo/ LA Dodgers)

We get word today that the Dodgers have declined Jon Garland's 2010 mutual option. Read about it here.

That's too bad. Garland has always been a dependable innings eater. Since 2002, he has never pitched less than 191 innings. Hopefully, the Dodgers can find some way to ink him to a new deal.

Dodger Correspondence: Lee Pfund

If you are a college basketball fan then you may know the name of Lee Pfund. From 1951 to 1975 he coached the basketball team at Wheaton College. Over those years he won five College Conference of Illinois (CCI) championships, captured the 1956-57 Small College National Championship and had a lifetime 362-240 (.601) record. Prior to his career as a coach, though, he played pro ball for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1945.

(click pic above to enlarge)

He wrote the following.

I spent 8 seasons in professional Baseball over a period of 10 years. I was a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1945. Pitched in 15 games (10 starts) before injury to my right knee ended my career there. It happened in the Red Cross Benefit game played in Wash. D.C. vs. the Senators. That year was the only year there had been no All-Star game scheduled since 1933. I was the starter and got hurt in the 2nd inning while fielding a swinging bunt on a wet field.

Since 1949 til 1975 I coached Baseball and basketball at Wheaton College in Illinois. I resigned from coaching that year to become the Executive Director of the schools Alumni Association. I have just retired as of December 31, 1987.

I have a keen interest in footbal, basketball, Baseball and golf. We have three sons. One with Bank of America in Calif., one in a men's clothing business in Wheaton and the youngest an assistant coach with the LA Lakers.

Keep well, enjoy the game and read the bible regularly.

Cordially,

Lee Pfund

His youngest Son, Randy Pfund, is currently the GM of the Miami Heat. Also, an important note is that when he played for the Dodgers he pitched with a "no Sunday" contract.

(click pic above to enlarge)

eBay Auction Link: Lee Pfund Letter: