Any Brooklyn Dodgers collectors out there?
 

With our hobby getting younger and younger collectors , it seems like all they want to collect is mike trout and Aaron judge. Or mookie betts or Christian yelich! Some will go “old school” and collect Derek Jeter or roger Clemens! So, I was wondering are there any collectors out there that collect Brooklyn Dodgers? If so let’s see them!!!

It’s sad with only 20 or so living Brooklyn Dodgers, I’m afraid this generation won’t understand how historic of a team they were.

I had a friend who was a big Brooklyn fan. Never really got it until I started researching them, and then fell in love with those bums. On the collecting front, I collect the 55 Dodger team. I would have had them all by now, but other projects always seem to get in the way. As of right now, I still need 4 players, one coach, the owner and Vin Scully. All of those are fairly easy, just haven't turned my attention to them recently.
As for collecting them, I try to get as many of the 55 team players on signed magazines (doesn't have to be on a 55 magazine), 55 Topps or Bowman cards, 3x5's, photos, and a couple of cuts on a scorecard at Dodger Stadium when I was a boy (who knew I'd appreciate autographs of Walt Alston and Jim Gilliam many years later. LOL).
By the way, I think there are only 15 living Brooklyn players left, 4 of which are from the 55 team. That's a real bummer.

Interesting question. I am always surprised when at Dodger Stadium, I hear fans often say "I didn't know the Dodgers came from Brooklyn" when they show old footage on the big screens. Growing up in LA, I always considered them just LA, until I spent time living in NY and grew to appreciate the Brooklyn history and what the team meant to the borough. I think the one thing that will keep collectors and fans interested in Brooklyn is the history of Jackie Robinson. People collect Ruth and Gehrig and a whole host of others having never seen them play, and Jackie is such an important part of history that he will keep the Brooklyn Dodgers in focus.

I also collect items related to Jackie and the '55 Dodgers. One of my favorites is below, a 1955 Yearbook signed by the whole team, and signed "to Irene, from Happy Felton".

Rick

Attachment 367674

Happy Felton

Rick, are you sure that's Happy Chandler? Looks a little more like Happy Felton. He did the Knothole gang show for the Dodgers.

Darn Jodi, I couldn't out type you. LOL

You are correct, I shouldn't post before morning coffee. When I bought this years ago (pre-internet), I thought this was Happy Chandler, but later learned it was Happy Felton when I saw his autograph. This morning I just reverted in my memory to Chandler. Thanks for the catch.

Rick

A great addition to such an item, too. Too bad Gladys Goodding and Hilda Chester were rarely asked to sign, as they would have been icing on the cake. I've been fortunate to own examples of both.

I've never seen their signature, and you're right, that would have been amazing on there. They were unique. It would have been even better if Gladys had added "Three Blind Mice" to her signature.

Rick

Very cool!i started with the 1955 dodgers, then expanded to the greatest Brooklyn Dodger players! Has anyone attempted to try to get every single Brooklyn Dodger?

Unless another slipped by me, we are down to 15 former Brooklyn Dodgers among the living.

Been tracking it for a while as I was expanding my collection.

http://1978theyearitallbegan.blogspo...ckens-rip.html

I have tried to grab as many different as I can find/afford on a collector budget. I started later than I could/should have, so I am missing a fair number of the real key signatures prior to the 40s if they are expensive/hard to find.

I do have the LA run complete with the exception of 2 new additions this year that I have yet to track down (Gonsolin & Sadler), but there should still be plenty of time to get those and start adding new names soon as well.

I can tell you that the market for Brooklyn Dodgers items, with Jackie Robinson being the exception, is not near what it used to be.
btw - that 1955 cover is fantastic.

Thanks Richard. I really like how carefully everyone signed the cover so the signatures are so visible. Sometimes they sign across the cover images and the signatures blend into the image.

It's not surprising to me that the market for Brooklyn Dodgers items (except for Jackie) is softer than it was. For the most part, people in LA don't feel any real connection to the Dodgers' Brooklyn years. so those who collect Brooklyn items are fewer in number as time goes by. It's probably a different story for teams with a continuous presence in one geographic market.

Rick

My Brooklyn contribution. SI cover with Johnny Podres. Magazine cover has minor issues. Autograph obtained in-person.

I'll add this one. I have this as the center piece on my Brooklyn wall. 36 brooklyn sigs (7 from the 55 team). Purchased from Jim Stinson...we miss ya buddy!

Don Thompson, who played from '51-'54 with the Dodgers, was one of my clients at my last job. While I spent many hours with him, it wasn't until right before I left that job did I find out about his baseball past (as I didn't recognize his name since he was mainly a benchwarmer). If I'd known, I would've picked his brain so much more. During the one talk we did have about baseball, he loved reminiscing about it. Especially playing with Jackie and being in the World Series. I left my job right after that, and he died a year later.

The Brooklyn Dodgers are my favorite team... and I was born in the 80's... :-)

I've been able to acquire a few game-used lineup cards from that season... here's one of them.

I went to Dodger fantasy camp about 20 years ago and had a great time listening to Erskine, Branca, Snider and Labine entertain us every night at dinner with stories about the Brooklyn days, with most of the stories centered on Jackie.

Jeff, great line-up card. I keep hoping I will find one from 1955 with Koufax included.

I think I have a great start collecting 1955 Dodger signatures because the spring training roster I have from that year has nearly everyone who was in camp, plus others, with nearly 50 signatures. I'm sure it is one of the few vintage pieces in existence that has all of the HOF guys from that team (Robinson, Campanella, Snider, Reese, Koufax), plus Tommy Lasorda (who wouldn't make the team), and Drysdale (who wouldn't make it until 1956), plus HOFer's Vin Scully and Walter O'Malley. Kind of looks like a "Where's Waldo". There is a signature "Walter Maasen" in pencil, who may be the youngster who got it signed.

Personally, I love collecting flats with signatures versus signed baseballs.

Rick

Attachment 369472Attachment 369473

Beautiful piece Rick. Would love to have that for my Brooklyn collection.
Here's a question to you and to anyone in the know. On this particular piece, the Don Zimmer is in the style that's generally accepted as being his wife's sig. I've seen that on other multi-signed pieces and was wondering...how the heck was she able to sign on something like this? Now, I understand if it was sent to their home, but I'm assuming that it was hand signed right there at spring training. Any thoughts?

Mike, I am by no means a Zimmer expert. I have attached close-ups of the Zimmer auto on the 1955 Yearbook, the 1955 spring training roster, and from a 1959 Dodger Program I have which was signed by the entire team. To me, the closed "D" in the two 1955 autos are the same, and I think it is quite unlikely his wife was signing team-signed rosters and yearbooks for him in 1955. The 1959 Yearbook however has the open "D" which I believe collectors view as his authentic autograph. Perhaps his signature changed over the years. I believe most think his wife began signing items mailed to them much later than 1955.

Just my conjecture,
Rick

Attachment 369480

Rick love the 55 yearbook... I to have loved the dodgers for many years. I have a 1956 signed yearbook that I have had for many years. The one thing that has always killed me is Jackie signed across the bums jacket and the robinson goes into the Black! Well who knew. But the book is signed inside and out . 14 on the cover and 18 inside on all the bio pages. A beautiful Campy and hodges inside. Mine is framed so its hard to take apart and see. One day I will scan all the pages but for now I only did Campy... Love all the other Dodger items also! And please No PMs its not for sale...

Thanks Rick. Very confusing indeed, but agree with your assessment. I looked at some team signed balls that he's been on (for different teams) and I definitely see a changing of his sig where the D slowly goes open until 1964 where it's more like we see today. Now, the ball I saw in 64 had a different ink for his sig, so maybe he signed it later than 64, and I'm wondering if the 59 yearbook you showed might have been signed later as well. One thing I know, is that Topps usually used their "fake" sigs on their cards based on their contract signatures and if you look at his 55 topps signature it sure looks like the first two you have examples for as well as his wife's generally accepted sig. All and all very confusing.
Where's all the Brooklyn Dodger experts out there? C'mon guys, this should be right in your wheelhouse.

I'm a third generation Yankees hater, all started by my Grandfather who was a Brooklyn fan dating back to when he was kid in the teens. I used to collect the 1950s teams, but over the years gravitated towards the 1930s and 40s instead. Here are three of my favorite pieces:

Attachment 369505

Diamond Star signed by Van Lingle Mungo in period fountain pen.

Attachment 369506

1933 Brooklyn infield signed by Sam Leslie, Tony Cuccinello and Jersey Joe Stripp.

Attachment 369507

And a real neat one - during WWII Gene Hermanski played outfield for the Brooklyn Bushwicks when he had leave from the Coast Guard on weekends, but he had to do it on the sly and used the name Gene Walsh. A young Brooklyn girls had him sign her autograph book in 1944 but there was no fooling her - she knew it was Hermanski and noted that beneith his signature.

They aint single-signed Sandy Koufax balls or a '52 Snider PSA 9, but they are among the favorites in my modest collection.

Thanks! I own a few 1955 Dodgers lineup cards, but have never seen one with Koufax on the mound. Would be spectacular to find.

Mrmopar-when you say you have a complete la run do you mean you have every single Dodgers topps card signed from 1958-2019 or do you mean that you have every single dodger player from 1958-2019 on a signed item? Do you collect only those that made the Dodgers season roster or do you collect also players that have a dodger card issued but never made the team such as a dodger rookie card if someone like a draft pick that never made the big leagues?

I have at least one item signed by each player who played a game for LA between 1958-2019, but I also collect Dodger cards signed even if they never made the big club, as well as minor league issues/players.


I wish I had every Dodger card signed, that would be amazing. I have a good start to that for the 50s-80s. Nowhere near complete but may even have a couple full team sets by now. I was just thinking about this the other night. There is one Topps card from the 60s that may or may not even exist in signed form. The player never made the club or MLB, but I would absolutely love to find one signed.

1965 Topps Rookies with Kekich, Valle, Lefebvre and Dennis Daboll. I have Daboll on a MiLB ball, but have never seen or heard of the Topps card signed by him. Be cool if a few existed.

That is very cool and quite an accomplishment! Hoe many Dodgers were there that played for the Dodgers from 1958-2019? Is there a list somewhere? Thank you for your help.

Speaking of the 1955 Dodgers, I am a fourth-cousin, once-removed, of outfielder Bert Hamric. I never met him, but wrote to him a couple of times - before I knew our kinship. His Major League career was very short - two games with the 1955 Dodgers and eight with the 1958 Orioles. If you were going to be a short-time Major Leaguer, I guess the 1955 Dodgers would be a good team to be with!

I asked Tom Lasorda once if he remembered Bert Hamric, and he said "Sure, we roomed together when we were with Montreal. He died way too soon." That somewhat surprised me since Lasorda was very much in the limelight, and Bert had faded into obscurity, but old ballplayers always seem to know about each other.

If anyone has ticket stubs from one or both of Bert's games with the 1955 Dodgers (April 24 against the Giants and April 28 against the Cubs, both at Ebbets Field), I'd be very interested in obtaining - or at least seeing - them.

I don't have a lot of autographs, but I have a few that fit this thread.

On the Stengel page, Manuel Onis played only 1 regular season game in the majors, going 1-1 on April 27, 1935. Frank Lamanske also made his MLB debut that day, throwing two scoreless innings in relief, including a strikeout of Babe Ruth. He made it into another game 4 days later, then called it a career.

Doug

I think it somewhere close to 2000. Wiki has a running list and I think I found another on a Dodger related site. Of course, they are all subject to editing to keep them current, but older player selection should be sound.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_An...ll-time_roster

Thanks Curt
Appreciate your help. Trying to decide if I want to attempt to collect 2000+ different signed Dodgers cards! Seems like a huge task locating all of those autographs!

A "small task" is way less fun than a "huge task".

Very true Curt! Good point! How long did it take you to get all of them?

I obtained most in the last 20 years or so. I was able to find a lot of obscure players with certified cards in the 90s-present sets, a lot of which were cheap. For example, a Danny Ardoin that nobody has ever heard of. He has a certified auto believe it or not!

Very cool! In 20 years I’ll be an old fart!so I better get started on this soon!

I wonder if Richard's statement (#12) is applicable to most/all teams now days?
 

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Aside from those collecting HOF signatures, it seems (IMHO) that interest in team collecting has diminished considerably. Even, possibly, crossing over
to collecting ballplayer autographs from historic teams, such as the 1927 New York Yankees, 1919 Chicago White Sox, 1919 Cincinnati Reds,
1955 Brooklyn Dodgers, etc. If true, just wish that resulted in more of the obscure autographs I seek to come to market, and/or at irresistible prices

I agree, and I understand that the average collector doesn't want to collect a team that might have one or two obscure players that might cost as much as a Ruth or Gehrig. Card collectors have the same problem when they pick a year to collect that might have a famous rookie card in it...like Mantle, Aaron, etc.
For me so far, except for the 1919 Black Sox, obscure has only meant 200-300 bucks for teams like the 1955 Dodgers, 1960 Pirates, 61 Yankees and 69 Cubs.

Keep the posts and photos coming guys! Great stuff and discussions!

Here's a couple more scans. 1947 Dodgers (Jackie rookie season) ball and 1946 Montreal Royals (Jackie Minor League) team ball.

Haven't found much that really caught my attention (in my budget)in the last couple of years unfortunately.

These Brooklyn Dodgers items shown are truly amazing I must say. I’m doing an autographed 1955 Topps set and still need like 4 Dodgers cards. If anyone can help I would really appreciate it. If anything is available let me know as I’m always looking for upgrades as well.

Very cool! Let’s see some more signed dodger baseballs!

Thank you for starting this thread, as I'm excited to see everyone's Brooklyn treasures! Here are a few of the favorites in my collection:

This first piece was an usual, yet superb find. Looks to be a hand-drawn sketch of Nap Rucker from a Brooklyn local at the time (on the back of the drawing, the artist made note of his Brooklyn address and the year - 1913). Quite the lovely piece with much character and what I assume is an even more interesting backstory given the local origin.

Perhaps my favorite piece is this original George Burke 4x6 of Hugh Casey, signed by Casey himself (based on variables, it appears this may be from the late-1930s). A signed piece by Casey is extremely difficult to acquire, particularly due to his untimely passing in 1951. I apologize for the image quality, but as most will know with some of these earlier Burke photos, the sepia tones and image texture is stunning.

A number of the Brooklyn Robins 1921-30 ML Die-Cuts. Not a complete set nor in the best condition, but still charming, hard to find pieces.

I have shown this before. I did this in the early 90's. Poster is 1955 WS reproduction....then I met Whitey in Florida and later Don at some other show in Texas. Had them each signed. I thought it was a cool.

A note on Jackie - his memorial is in the METs stadium. I was surprised when I saw it. I guess they thought that "Dodger" was better remembered there...

My 1955 Topps autographed cards, still a work in progress.

Beautiful Hodges!

I watched that item on ebay. I don't think it latest a day.

I would like a Maranville Dodger item, but that was not worth the price for me to get the lot. Seemed like it must have been a good deal though.

Got this today TTM. 1956 Dodgers. :-)

Awesome! Let’s see some more!