The Trolley Dodger

Head on over to MLBTradeRumors.com to submit your questions for Fred Claire.

Former Dodgers GM Fred Claire has agreed to answer some questions from MLBTR readers. I’ll choose the best ones from the comments. Fred was the team’s GM for about a decade, and also served in other capacities in the front office before that.

Highlights from the 1955 series.

Ted Williams on What’s My Line

They refer to the fact that the Red Sox played at Yankee Stadium earlier that day, and that the Sox won 10-9. The video description says this was from 1954, which would place this episode on May 23rd.

Joe DiMaggio on What’s My Line

From 1955; they refer to his just having been elected to the Hall of Fame. Doesn’t take them long to figure out who it was.

Hey, if you missed out on the 50th Anniversary Dodger Blanket Giveaway last night at Dodger Stadium, fret not. With a little driving and luck, you can grab one at the Inland Empire 66ers game this Saturday:

The Dodgers and 66ers have teamed up to allow the fans of the Inland Empire to show that they really are true blue fans. The first 2,000 people through the gates on Saturday, April 19th at Arrowhead Credit Union Park in San Bernardino will receive a free Dodgers blanket!

Last season the 66ers also gave away a Los Angeles Dodgers blanket and fans came out in flocks! A line of fans snaked around the the stadium with the truest of blue fans lining up as early as 3:30 that afternoon.

They’re playing the High Desert Mavericks, who have replaced the 66ers as the Seattle Mariners’ High A affiliate.

Update: Looks like they should do Blanket Night more often!

The starting pitcher for Inland Empire, Tim Sexton dominated the Mavericks offense for six perfect innings. In a somewhat controversial decision to strictly follow the pitch count, 66ers manager Henry Cruz decided to take Sexton (2-2) out of the game before the seventh inning. Paul Koss pitched the next two innings, and while he did allow three Mavericks to reach base, he kept the no hitter in tact. The three runners that reached base got there on an error and two walks. The ninth inning, and the no-hit bit, was put in the hands of Francisco Felix who started off the inning strong with a strikeout. The chance for a no-hitter ended however when the Mavericks shortstop and highly touted prospect Carlos Triunfel knocked a sharp ground ball to the right side that was too hot for the first baseman Eduardo Perez to handle. Felix would end up striking out the side in the inning, which was little consolation for losing the bid at the no-hitter.

The Dodgers issued a press release today, “Lasorda to receive Pope Benedict XVI at the White House”, which is very cool, especially if he can get His Holiness to say a prayer for the Boys in Blue. Lord knows we could use some help.

What caught my eye the most was this passage at the bottom of the emailed version of the release:

The Los Angeles Dodgers, pioneers in sport and world culture, are celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2008. In that period, they have won more games, more pennants, and more World Series than any other club in the National League. Since the start of the modern era in baseball, the Dodgers of Brooklyn and Los Angeles, combined, have a cumulative attendance of more than 176 million, the highest total in the history of baseball or any other sport.

That just sounds awesome.