BKN Dodgers ~ The Borough Still Loves Their Bums

From the desk of:   THE BEDFORD AVENUE NINE BBC

BROOKLYN DODGERS:

Dem Bums Still Reign in the Borough of Kings.

On the walls....;

on the sidewalks....;

...and in the supermarkets of Brooklyn,

Dem Bums Live On.

Back in December, I met my newest Brooklyn Dodgers fan/friend.  His name is also Michael.  His mom took him to Ebbets Field for the first time when he was seven years old.  The Dodgers left three years later.  After they left to California, he became a Mets Fan a few years later.  Michael is a good man.





Mike.BTB

Thank You CRZ BLUE's Dodger Blue World

Back in December '09, one of my initial posts of this newborn blog was a little trip back to the present day site of Ebbets Field.  It was a simple post with a picture of the stone marker signifying the site of Ebbets and the street sign of Bedford Ave, alternatenly named Gil Hodges Way.  That post received one comment.  I was very new in the BloggerHood; very new.  I was happy.  It was a step forward.  A couple of posts followed I'm sure with me complaining about the Wilpons or the Mets in general.  Then I wrote the following quick post in what was to become (unofficially) "our" second TrolleyRide through the Hood.  Here is that post which is fairly brief, about the Brooklyn Dodgers.  But what made it different from just about any other post or Trolley Ride I've taken you on, I for the first time and maybe the last time, openly expressed my hate (hate? hate is strong.)...my hate for the Los Angeles Dodgers.  But I'm not one of those clouded cats.  I'm just a baseball fan above all else and to be quite honest, there's nothing like taking in Vin Scully starting at 10:30pm my time to end my nights.  Take a quick peek because today's post has everything to do with my commenter, not me...
http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/archives/2009/12/the-boys-of-summerat-least-whats-left-anyway.html

This post was visited by the one same commenter; CRZBLUE, or as we affectionately know her, Emma.

http://crzblue.mlblogs.com/  

CRZBLUE'S Dodger Blue World.

She made no mention to my L.A. Dodger quips.

Very recently when I threw my SchoolYard, Hot Dogs Baseball and Brandy Bonfire to the Fans, Emma brought so many goodies for us to eat while we all cajoled about baseball.  As part of that SchoolYard post I took a little poke at "her" Dodgers (affectionately but intentionally) and this time she bit right back!
I loved it.  She's been riding on the Trolley since day one and is one of my greatest supporters.  She followed me through the Caribbean Series.
Her recent posts celebrating black history month and the women who played in the Negro Leagues still have me fascinated.  She put together an amazing list of Brooklyn Dodgers still alive.  She just informed us that list was shortened by one less name with the passing of another former Bum.  Her desire for her Dodgers is insatiable.  Personally, I love her blog.  She keeps digging up things I've never known and that I find amazing..  We all pride ourselves somewhat on our knowledge about baseball.  Don't we?  But I for one can say I've learned from you all.  Another recent post she made featured the L.A. Dodgers 2010 commemorative patch:
1st World Championship
1955 Dodgers
55 Since '55

I salivated like Pavlov's dog when I saw it, and in jest said I had to have one.
Today when I arrived home and checked my mail box, I received this item
and hurried myself to settle in for the evening.

 
Upon opening it, this is what I found inside:

  It's the small things in life that make the most impact with me.

This is HUGE!!  Emma! What can I say?

I'm at a loss, -  I'm sorry my words may not come out the way I want them.  But to all my neighbors in the BloggerHood, and especially to you Emma...I'm very happy to know and learn and share with you.

Thank you for this gift!

AND...

For Emma and Brooklyn/L.A. Dodger fans,

CatLovesTheDodgers,BehindBlueEyes

I offer you my BrooklynTrolleyBlogger

55 SINCE '55 Tribute

C'mon!...This is cause for celebration.  Everyone, I know this is a little unexpected...but,

Let's Jump-the-Trolley!!

Emma...get up here...You're drivin'!

NEXT STOP

1955 and the Party Time Hotel

 It was always wait till next year with them.  They were a buncha Bums.

(mine)                                        (mine)

 But Dem Bums were our Bums, Chum! Then one season, it happened.

They faced off against the N.Y. Yankees, our hated cross town rivals, in the World Series again.

After so many years of winning the National League Championship and loosing to them in the Series, 

I'm gonna spare myself the details.

 

(my 1947 pin)

But in '55

(program and tickets, T.S. Collection)

(Topps Cards, Mine)

after winning

and winning

and Winning.

In game seven at Yankee Stadium, Bronx

Johnny Podres shut-down the mighty Yankees and Vin Scully announced,

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the Brooklyn Dodgers are Champions of the World"

On the field...

....and the paper the next day looked like...

There was still the matter of some serious celebration and party to be had.

So, today we're pullin up to the Bossert Hotel on Montague Street.

This is where the Dodgers celebrated their 1955 World Series victory.

The Bossert Hotel

That must have been some party!

Brooklyn finally had their..

(Yep..it's mine. autographs are real)

(on my wall)

(something I put together)

I know that was just a quick trip  up the block, but I can really picture what that night might have been like in the Hotel.  Emma, I hope you enjoyed my little tribute to that day in 1955; 55 years ago this season. 

I appreciate the Patch so much.  Now I don't know whether to put it on my -

(rookie jersey L.A.)

OR

because we spent a lot of time using the Brooklyn Cyclones (our Baby Bums as we call em) to celebrate our old Brooklyn Dodgers, many fans put their Dodger patches on their -

 

So I have to decide which it's going to be. 

Does anyone have a thought which jersey to slap this patch on?

*note: The Bossert is no longer a hotel and was just recently sold.

But she should be fine.

http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.mlblogs.com/

http://thebrooklyntrolleyblogger.blogspot.com/

Jump On! The TROLLEY is on the MOVE Again.

They say we're the city of eight million people with eight million different stories.  Here in Brooklyn we have 2.5 million of those denizens.  I'm one of them.  I have an account of two other Brooklynites I'd like to share.  I have a story for you about one day, one place and two people who demonstrate and epitomize, first - Like I've been telling you, the spirit, soul, the essence of the Brooklyn Dodgers is alive, well, and thriving here in the Borough of Kings.  But secondly, and most importantly, this is about familial ties and heirlooms, neighborhood loyalties and quite honestly ladies and gentlemen, what being from Brooklyn is really all about.

It's time to board the TROLLEY again.  Jump-on and hold tight.   We're leaving Breukelen Station and our Destination is the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn.  C'mon.

You know I've been having fun with this "Baseball Archaeologist" pseudonym I made up along the way.  Well, for as much as I'd like, - Well, this story deserves, what we call around here, Respect.

I already knew about a steak house in Williamsburg with some great old Brooklyn themed movie posters displayed on their exterior for all to enjoy.  My idea was to go there and take some pictures for what I thought would be a cool post. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, enjoy the ride to Williamsburg today.  We'll be pulling up to the corner Steakhouse at Leonard Street and Conselyea Street.  I went there for some pictures.  I walked away with a memory. 

I humbly title this post:  WELCOME To a BROOKLYN HEIRLOOM,  OPEN JUST For YOU.

As I said, I knew about this particular steak house for the movie posters displayed on the exterior.  No, I never ate there before.  I assure you THAT WILL change however.  I went and took my photo's.  I intended to just take 5 or so pics.  Yea right!  After documenting the exterior of this place like a City Inspector, better sense returned to me and I knew I should call the phone number on the window and ask for permission to photograph his posters and property, but also to post them on my sight.  So I did.

A gentleman answered and I explained to him forthright what I was up to and that I was respectfully asking permission to use the images for this purpose.  After giving him what information he desired and exchanging some pleasantry,...and after being very agreeable the whole time, JOHN, consented.

The posters themselves are spectacular.  I've always had it my mind to take a picture of the "Lords of Flatbush" poster.  The posters are all Brooklyn centric obviously, but what makes them utterly magical to me is the references they make to the Brooklyn Dodgers.  They are more footprints in the dried-up river bed.  The posters are more little fossils of evidence which proves the Brooklyn Dodgers are alive and well in the Borough of Kings.

I was very satisfied with the pictures. No,...I was ecstatic with the pictures I had and couldn't wait to share them with the BloggerHood.  I remained there for a few minutes scrolling through the pictures.

Apparently, John lived close by and decided to come out there,  perhaps before I left, because if that was me?.. - I'm making sure this cat is on the up-and-up..Know what I mean?!  He approached me knowing who I was, fiddling with my camera and all.  I assumed John, correctly,  we shook hands and conversed in the lightly falling snowy afternoon.  My kinda weather!!  He related to me about buying a new house and his plans for creating a memorabilia / ManCave (my word) in the basement.  John is a Yankees fan.  I'm a Mets fan.  I told him as much.  See?!  Met and Yankee fans can share space.  I didn't tell him I was a SOX fan too.  Sorry John, you can let me have it when I visit next time.

After getting a little deeper into what I was doing with this whole Blog-thing, to my great surprise and immense delight, he opened up the restaurant and we entered.  The DeSTEFANO's Steak & Chops establishment wasn't due to open till 5 p.m.and I was inside looking at Brooklyn's soul at 1pm.

Inside, there is a wall dedicated to the Brooklyn Dodgers.  There was one photo in particular I never saw before, of a Yankee and Dodger vendor together, hawking their goods.  Outstanding!  I thought I saw them all.  By this time, John's father had arrived, JOE.  John introduced us as I thanked him kindly for the intrusion.  I was stumbling over my  words because you just couldn't pen a better script.  Joe also seemed quite agreeable with letting me post this wonderful encounter as I clicked away with delight.  Another frame contained a local newspaper clip celebrating the Legendary DODGER Sym-PHONY BAND.  God bless their Brooklynite hearts.  They made their way out to a Brooklyn Cyclones' game a couple of years ago.  I hope they're well!

The cherry on top of this trip, was what I will call their Wall of Fame.  I don't think it's a stretch to assume they call it that too...huh?  The wall is covered with the Brooklynites who've hit the big time, the famous, our pride and stars.  The wall is a Who's Who from the Borough of Kings.  I asked him if he had my team's owner up there, Mr. Lafayette High School Pitcher himself, Fred Wilpon.  It was worth a chuckle but it didn't get him on the wall; - at least not yet.  I will be going back to DeStefano's for what I'm sure will be a spectacular dinner experience with my wife.  Perhaps one day they'll let me detail that wall better.  But for now, to that point, I was overwhelmed already from my experience with John and Joe, and I had already taken up enough of their good time.  I didn't want to over-step their hospitality.

The rest of my day went swimmingly!! 

I'd like to extend my deepest, warmest and most sincere appreciation to John and Joe, proprietors and family owners of DeSTEFANO's STEAK & CHOPS, -

DeSTEFANO"S STEAKHOUSE is located at the corner of LEONARD STREET and CONSELYEA STREET in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn.  A special thank you goes out to Mrs. "Joe" and John's MOM, - Because behind every good man there's a better woman, and because when she raised John, she did a great job!  God Bless you all.

The experience I had with you fine gentlemen reaffirms what I aways felt and believe in my heart.   I Love living in Brooklyn.  You two men are another pair of reasons why.

Enjoy the pictures everyone, courtesy of  DeStefano's SteakHouse in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, on the corner of Leonard Street and Conselyea Street.

The Baseball Archaeologist had this day off.  
I hope you enjoyed your ride on the TROLLEY Blogger today.  I had a blast!!!
Best regards to all......Mike.





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