Zack Wheat: the Life of the Brooklyn Dodgers Hall of Famer: Review

Zack Wheat: the Life of the Brooklyn Dodgers Hall of Famer by Joe Niese is my first read of a book by a fellow SABR-member. And all I can say is it is well written an researched. Sure, that can be expected from SABR-members, but still…

I've mentioned it before in my blogs, for years the Brooklyn years of the Dodgers were one black and white blurr filled with players I only knew by name. Then I started reading about the boys of summer and they all came alive.

Then the daffiness boys got their turn and the Bridegrooms, but the 1910’s were still a big black hole for me. Sure, I’ve heard of the likes of Wheat and Grimes and Dahlen, but I never got to reading about them. Turns out…not many is written about those guys. So I kinda stumbled on the Niese book.

Niese manages to bring Wheat to life. With statistics but also with personal details. It takes the reader to the first two Dodgers World Series appearances and mentions plenty of teammates and even gives you a better picture of Wilbert Robinson (I really have to read more about this guy!).

In short, Joe Niese knows how to paint a picture, he got me more enthusiastic about the Dodgers era when they were called the Superbas and Robins.

World Series Press Pins IV - 1974 & 1981

Press pins have been around since the 1911 World Series. Which means there is one for every Brooklyn & Los Angeles appearance. They are small and great items for collectors who do not have a lot of space, like me, to display their Dodgers related stuff. When collecting, the first thing popping in my mind is: COLLECT THEM ALL! In the case of press pins that will never work for me since some of them are quite expensive. The 1916, 1920 pins probably will set you back at least $2000 each. Maybe if I win a lottery, but for now I decided to try to get my hands on one pin for every decade our boys played in the World Series. That comes to 7 press pins: one from the 1940’s, 1950’s, 1960’s, 1970’s, 1980’s, 2010’s and 2020s. 

That being said... my favorite press pin from the 1970s is the one from 1978. But I got a good deal on the ‘74 one, so... I just broke my own rule. But together with the one from ‘81 it makes a nice pair.
Press pins are weirdly different, design wise. Sometimes it’s like the designers didn’t have any inspiration. The 1955 press pin is boring, as is the one from 1977 or the 2020 one to name a few. Dodger Stadium, though, has been a source for inspiration since 1963. Of the 12 press pins 4 featured Dodger Stadium as its center piece.

1974

The oval pin has an embossed Dodger Stadium in matt brass color in the middle and a border in blue and the text World Series Dodger  Stadium. The brass/blue combination has been used quite some times on Dodgers WS press pins. This edition looks a bit like an oval version of the 1947 pin with the Brooklyn Bridge. It's kinda classy. 

1981

Again Dodger Stadium takes center stage. In a shiny gold colored pin, we look into the stadium and see downtown LA in the backdrop. The text reads World Series LA Dodgers and two American flags flank the stadium on both sides. 

Honestly, this edition is a bit too much. Too shiny, too much going on. Still, better than the 1988 pin which compensates by being too dull.

Can't win 'em all! 

Remembering Vin Scully

Some people die young, which is horrible. Then there are people who reach a ripe old age and still die to young. Vin Scully is one of those people. One I thought would always be around.
He HAD been around forever! When I started to follow the boys in blue, Vin had been the voice of the Dodgers for over 30 years. He had so many famous soundbites and he kept on piling them up.
People took Vin to the Coliseum on their transistor radios and later to the Stadium. Me too, on a radio walkman. He gave you so much more insight during the game.
One of the best Vin moments for me personally was attending the Vin Scully appreciation game in 2016. The mayor, Mark Walter, Koufax, Kershaw, Costner giving heartfelt speeches and ofcourse Vin, his modest self, thanking everybody.
He retired but got to see the Dodgers win one more World Series. Beautiful!

To quote Obi-Wan after Alderaan was destroyed: “ As if millions of voices cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced”. The collective Dodgers fanbase fell silent after the news and we will be for quite some time.

Thanks, Vin, for being a brother, a father a grandpa, the all knowing voice of many generations, a tranquil beacon, a Dodger! 

I'll miss you, Vin!