The Trolley Dodger

Landon Heying, a Los Feliz tattoo artist and gargantuan Dodger fan, is featured in this LA Times article, “True Blue tattoo parlor owner is a Dodger fan on and under his skin”:

For Heying, representing is all about the ink, and the ink is all about the Dodgers. He’s the owner of True Blue tattoo studio in Los Feliz, where for $8, a discounted rate down from around $50 (he charges $100 an hour), he’s offering Dodger tattoos. Of course not everyone is ready for the Lasorda treatment, so the simple Dodger script may have to do. Still too hard-core? There’s also a selection of studs and rings for piercings emblazoned with the club’s logo.

Not sure about the Tommy Lasorda tatt, but I could definitely see a script logo. :) The coolest to me, though, is Heying and the TRUE and BLUE across his fingers. That is sweet.

UPDATE: Veronique de Turenne (now that’s a name!) over at L.A. Now posted a video with Landon, showing off his shop.

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.

Today at noon (Pacific time) on the Fox Movie Channel, they’re showing It’s Good to Be Alive (1974), a dramatization of the story of Roy Campanella. Based on Campy’s book of the same name, it stars Paul Winfield as the catcher, Louis Gossett Jr. as his physical therapist, and Ruby Dee as his wife.

From the official Roy Campanella site:

A successful catcher is defined by his ability to handle the pitching staff, throw out would-be stealers, and keep errant throws and pitches in front of him. Roy Campanella possessed all these skills and then some.

The man they called “Campy” was the complete package, leading National League catchers in putouts six times, and clubbing 242 home runs in his 10-year Major League career. From 1948-1957, Roy Campanella was securely anchored behind home plate for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

He caught in five World Series, won the National League Most Valuable Player award in 1951, 1953, and 1955, and was the first black catcher in Major League Baseball history. In 1969, he joined baseball’s elite with his induction into the Hall of Fame.

Speaking of awards, the Dodgers in 2006 created the Roy Campanella Award in his honor, given to the Dodger who “best exemplifies the spirit and leadership of the late Hall of Fame catcher.” Rafael Furcal won the inaugural award. The winner last year? A certain All-Star catcher who can handle the pitching staff, throw out would-be stealers, and keeps errant throws and pitches in front of him. Pretty good hitter too.

You know what would be cool for the Dodgers to release this season? A 50th Anniversary DVD. Any number of historical featurettes could be included, but a couple of things I’d love to see since I missed them was the opening day “Field of Dreams” ceremony with all the old Dodgers, not to mention the Coliseum plaque presentation for Vinny.

“What do Jedi Knights do on the weekends? They ditch the robes, dress like Earthlings and play a little baseball…”

Carl Erskine, who pitched the very first game at Holman Stadium, plays the National Anthem for the very last time at Dodgertown.

ESPN.com has a cool video feature with Mariners pitcher R.A. Dickey explaining the knuckleball.

“Jim Caple Catches Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey”

And check out the followup article: “Why didn’t Mama teach me the knuckleball?”

By the eighth or ninth time — or perhaps the 12th or 13th — I ran to the backstop to chase after a pitch from Seattle’s R.A. Dickey, I should have asked myself, “Why don’t more pitchers learn to throw the knuckleball? And why don’t more teams teach it to their borderline pitchers?

“And most importantly, given how much money Tim Wakefield has made throwing it, why didn’t someone ever teach me how to throw the knuckleball?”

Dodger Stadium, sometime in the 2008 season. Barry Zito on the mound. Rafael Furcal is on first base. Andruw Jones at the plate. The tension mounts. Everybody knows what’s about to happen. It’s just a matter of when…

…and while they don’t show it, I think the sound the crowd makes afterward tells the story. :)

MLB 08 The Show for PS3 is looking kinda spiffy. More videos here

I happened to come across Flickr user oldballparks today thanks to a photo of Ebbets Field in the 1950s (above). At the moment, there are not quite 50 photos posted of various teams and ballparks, including a few others from Dodger history: Washington Park (home of the Superbas), the LA Coliseum, and the 1912 Brooklyn Dodgers team photo.

But of especial coolness are a series showing Ebbets Field under construction and brand-spanking new:

• Ebbets field under construction, 1913
• Ebbets Field, March 20, 1913
• Ebbets Field just after opening, 1913
• First game at Ebbets Field, April 5, 1913

Meanwhile, up here in the 21st Century, Flickr user eleveline has a set of pics from yesterday’s historical game versus the Padres in Beijing, China.

The Dodgers sure have come a long way.