Any Brooklyn Dodgers collectors out there?

[mr2686]

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!

[scmavl]

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.

[Topnotchsy]

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.

[rlevy]

Originally Posted by scmavl

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.

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

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[mr2686]

Originally Posted by rlevy

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?

[rlevy]

Originally Posted by mr2686

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

zimmer autos.jpg

[batsballsbases]

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...

[mr2686]

Originally Posted by rlevy

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

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.

[jerseygary]

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:

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

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

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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.

[Topnotchsy]

Originally Posted by rlevy

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.

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

[homerunhitter]

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?

[mrmopar]

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.

Originally Posted by homerunhitter

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?

[homerunhitter]

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.