Internet exploded but what about media in my country? Well, news travels fast and although baseball isn't very big in the Netherlands this bomb was too big to ignore. The NOS posted on its website 'Dodgers tempt superstar Ohtani with record salary' and NU.nl: 'Ohtani trumps Messi'. Multiple newspapers had extensive articles about it as well. Parts of some of the articles shown below.
So, some years back I found this online jewelery shop that sells bracelets with engravable beads. I was sold and had the names of the players that had their jersey number retired engraved and I still wear the bracelet with pride.
Ten beads, ten names. It’s been in Dodgers history for years and years: 10 retired numbers, 6 World Series titles. Those numbers were fixed for so long.
Then came 2020 and ‘we’ won a 7th championship. That fact had to settle into my brain for quite some time.
Then, after years of hoping, and to be honest: years of expecting, the Classic Baseball Committee in 2022 was wise enough to, finally, induct Gil Hodges into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Dodgers organization responded swiftly by retiring number 14 soon after.
Before I could get used to 11 retired numbers, the Dodgers decided to retire number Fernando’s #34! This will happen in August 2023.
Now, I have 12 name beads on my bracelet and we all know there will be al least one more in the near future, the moment he is eligible for the Hall of Fame: #22.
It is a personal book in which Joe tells the reader intimate details about his struggle as a kid with an abusive father and how the man influenced him and the way he plays the game.
It’s honest, often funny and well written with the help of Rob Bradford.
Joe is also honest about his view of the game as it is played nowadays. I was surprised by some of his opinions about altering the game, coming from a pitcher. It’s good, though, to read these kind of statements from the guy on the mount.
While Joe kelly isn’t a Dodger anymore, (july 2023 update: he's back!),there is enough stuff in the book about his time with the Boys in Blue. I always enjoyed his antics and by the looks of it, so did his teammates.
All in all a good read and I know you mustn’t judge a book by its cover, but this cover is awesome!
The Sketch
The original sketch has seen better days. It has quite some water marks and mold. It’s approximately 14x8-1/4” (35,5x20,9 cm) and signed by Shafer on the bottom right corner. It features Old Man Grump sitting in a boat, fishing while smoking a corn cob pipe. Below the hook with worms and a card saying ‘first place’ three fish jump out of the water. They all have a ‘name’: Reds, N.Y. and Brook. Grump addresses the reader: ‘Look! In all yer life did ya ever see ‘em bite like that?’
The Season
When you look up the 1920 season the three teams were closest at the beginning of September. On September 5th, for instance, Brooklyn was on 73-55 (0.5 up), Cincinnati on 71-54 and New York on 71-57 . At the end of that month, though, the Reds would be 9.5 games behind, the Giants 5. The Robins would go on and face and lose to the Indians in the World Series.
Why buy a century old drawing from a Reds fan? I think it's a nice peek into the history of the Dodgers. On the brink of their second World Series appearance in 4 years. It would be quite some time before they would reach again (1941). It predates the first Yankees win, Jackie Robinson was far away and Branch Rickey was still with the Cardinals and exactly 100 years later the Dodgers would win their 7th World Series title. I really like that way of looking at history.
Karl Hubenthal, cartoonist and illustrator, five time Pulizer nominee and winner of multiple awards, made striking images that always remind me of those by fellow cartoonist Eddie Germano.
Hubenthal did a lot of artwork for the Dodgers organization over the years. In the 60’s and 70’s he did covers for yearbooks, world series programs, scorecards and… at least two christmas cards.
One of them (1977), I found on Ebay, some years ago, the other (1974) just recently.
1977
Santa Lasorda, or Lasorda Claus carries a presents filled bag on the cover of this card. When you open the card up we get to see who they are for.
All presents are placed under a tree and Tommy is busy decorating the room with the pennant.
1974
On the front we see a group of Dodgers hoisting the pennant high in the christmas tree which has has been trimmed with ornaments describing the feats of that years players.
When you open the card you see a big present. The best a team can get. A world series championship (card says world championship, which is weird because there is no world baseball championships for teams). I love the reference to the well known and often used quote "wait till next year".
They make a very colorful pair and both of them will be featured in the christmas displays at my home for years to come.
