Monday, December 05, 2011

Dusty Up In Dis Bish!

Thanks for the introduction, Sax. And thanks to all the Sons - living and "deceased" - for adopting me. I'm proud and excited to serve in this new capacity, and I pledge to do so in strict adherence to my oft-stated guiding philosophy: “Masterful Insight/Useless Snark, or Is It the Other Way Around?” I'm really happy to be joining along with my main knuckleheads, Nomo and Stubbs. For those of you who may not already know me, here’s a little bit of background on how I arrived as a Son at this auspicious blog.

I started following the Dodgers in 1981, mainly to spite the loathsome Cardinal country fans around me where I grew up. The Dodgers were making an eventually successful World Series run that year, and I’d already fallen for the Los Angeles Lakers the previous year, so the Los Angeles connection just made sense, at least to an eleven-year old.

What I liked perhaps most about that Dodgers team was its rookie sensation Fernando Valenzuela. His melodic name rolled off the tongue of a kid afflicted with a southern twang and his trademark delivery style hooked me on the Dodgers and Fernando for a lifetime. In fact, a lot of kids I knew who played Little League in the early 80s were fascinated with Fernando. We would try to imitate his delivery style during practice before the coaches would yell at us for forgetting the basic mechanics they were trying to teach us.

Vacationing in Los Angeles, my dad took my brother and me to my first Dodgers game in August of 1983. August 5, to be exact. I know because I still have the ticket stub. Note the price! (cc: Frank McCourt)


Fernando pitched and won by the way, beating the Braves and pitching a complete game. We sat in the Left Field Pavilion, which remains my spiritual center at Chavez Ravine. My dad is no longer with us, but I still buy a ticket for that area and sit there on the anniversary of that game if the Dodgers are in town, as often they are. Wassup, LFP!

That game also introduced me to my namesake, Dusty Baker. Dusty was of course playing in left field, and since we sat right behind him, and since we share a last name, my brother and I immediately became big fans. So, Dusty was our man and now I honor him by using his name as a new Son.


I've been a proud Angeleno since the late 90s, likely inspired to live here after that great trip I took as a lad. I still get a little weepy when they play the Fernandomania montage (complete with the appropriate ABBA "Fernando" soundtrack) on Dodgervision. Nowadays, I go to about 20 or so games every season, and I’m fortunate that my wife (Mrs. Dusty) and sister-in-law (MDIL) are also big Dodger fans who watch all the games and go to the games with me throughout the season.

What drew me to SoSG was the sense of community that the blog engenders. I would have already jumped out a window on some particularly bad Dodger days if not for the place the original Sons created that allows us to commiserate and (cry) together. Sons has also allowed me to meet some mighty good friends with whom I have a lot in common besides just our Boys in Blue. I also always like to meet SoSG readers who are at the Yard, so be sure to drop a line when you will be there. We can drink over-priced beer together (cc: Sax).

38 comments:

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

Wash yer posts, Dusty!

Hideo Nomo said...

Ah, the days when Ticketmaster was two words.

And not yet completely evil.

Franklin Stubbs said...

Still MOSTLY evil.

Dusty Baker said...

Bad news if true: According to ESPN, Ronald Belisario hopes to rejoin the Dodgers in '12.

NO!

Mr. LA Sports Czar said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mr. LA Sports Czar said...

A lot of Scooby-Doo threads.

Hideo Nomo said...

Zoinks.

Dusty Baker's Toothpick said...

They had Ticket Master back in those days? My Pops would walk us up to the ticket booths behind the LFP on game day and buy whatever seats they had.I thought this was how everyone did it.

Congrats to DB, Nomo-son, and Stubbs.

I'm looking forward to your literary contributions to the Dodgers discourse... Nah, screw it, let's just drink beer and bash on Ned.

Dusty Baker said...

You had be at beer, DBT!

Dusty Baker said...

^me

Dusty Baker said...

Looks like Jerry Hairston, Jr will be joining the Dodgers.

Can't wait for Vin to tell us 14 thousand times that he has a brother named Scott.

Hairston tidbit for you:

Through 2011, he was 9th of all major leaguers in career sacrifice bunts, with 84.

Franklin Stubbs said...

Not to mention that he's a third generation big leaguer! What are the odds?

Franklin Stubbs said...

(Love ya, Vinny)

Dusty Baker said...

(I tease because I love, Vinny!)

Franklin Stubbs said...

At least we rarely suffer through discussing Luis Gonzalez's triplets anymore.

Paul said...

*watching Fonzie jump the shark*

Paul said...

Oops wait that is Ned jumping the shark! Dr. Colletti has gone mad and is creating Frankenstarter!

Dusty Baker said...

Trying to stay positive, trying to stay positive....bah! Not working!

Per TBLA:

"Assuming some backloading, the Dodgers will pay M.Ellis/Rivera/Hairston/Capuano/Harang about $16.5m in 2012 and up to $26.75m"

Franklin Stubbs said...

The positive is that it's all short-term, and we may have a somewhat different team-building philosophy when those contracts are up.

Dusty Baker said...

I smell what you're cooking, Stubbs.

Franklin Stubbs said...

You've got to give it to Ned, he sticks to his philosophy. Not making last ditch moves prior to an ownership transition takes cojones

Paul said...

Stubbs you are already way too prolific for your Dodger persona. The real Stubbs would be sleeping right now.

Franklin Stubbs said...

*faints*

Dusty Baker said...

I was just perusing the first entry for "About the Sons" and noted this gem:

"...content consisting of no more than little quips, many of the quips developed into inside jokes, and a scant few of them were worthy of public consumption"

Clearly we've made a lot of progress since those early days.

And we wouldn't have it any other way!

Steve Sax said...

(cries)

Franklin Stubbs said...

Interesting...

Well, all seven Sons have at least been in the same place at the same time now.

Though I fear I'm bringing the average down on years of education.

Dusty Baker said...

(opens some champagne to celebrate first day)

Fred's Brim said...

Thank god the Dodgers won or we could be calling you Jerry Royster right now

Dusty Baker said...

@FB

Or I can thank my old man for being cheap and not springing for seats behind home plate. Then I might be calling myself Jack Fimple.

Orel said...

Very touching about your pops, Dusty. Love your tradition.

Dusty Baker said...

Are y'all going to make me drink all this champagne on my own?

I hope so.

Franklin Stubbs said...

Am I at least in time for the dregs?

Dusty Baker said...

Oh, there are plenty of dregs around here, FV.

Hideo Nomo said...

I missed the champagne?

Ooh! Wide Mouth Mickey's!

Dusty Baker said...

@Nomo-san

Mickey's is what I meant by champagne.

Dusty Baker said...

@Stubbs

Yeah, but I suspect the "WWF" listed as DelinO's advanced degree isn't entirely legitimate.

MeanieBreanie said...

Did someone say Champagne? Count me in.

Congrats to our own Dusty Baker and to the other sons. We look forward to the banter and pearls of wisdom yet to come.
(raises glass in salute)

Dusty Baker said...

Thanks, MB. And thanks for the liberal definition of the term, "wisdom."