I believe it was Humma last week who mentioned that the Dodgers need a fight song. Well, I don't know about a fight song, but I do know there have been songs written about the Boys in Blue for awhile now. I know there are a few Dodgers songs out there, including the D-O-D-G-E-R-S Song by Danny Kaye, but this is one that is close to me. Hopefully the images work.

My grandfather gave this to me a few years ago. It is a 2' x 3' framed poster with the team photo of the World Champion 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers. It has some wear on it so it's not really worth much of anything beyond sentimental value, but it's pretty special. I wish I had some great story about how he worked with Vin Scully or had it personally signed by Jackie Robinson, or how Lee Scott was somehow a distant relative, but I just don't.

The picture caption reads:

The 1955 Dodgers bring first world title to Brooklyn:
First Row (left to right): George Shuba, Don Zimmer, Joe Becker (coach), Jake Pitler (coach), Walter Alston (manager), Billy Herman (coach), Pee Wee Reese, Dixie Howell, Sandy Aromos, Roy Campanella, unidentified.
Second Row: John Griffen (clubhouse man), unidentified, Carl Erskine, Sandy Koufax, unidentified, Lee Scott, Roger Craig, Don Newcombe, Karl Spooner, Don Hoak, Carl Furillo, Frank Kellert, Doc Wendler.
Third Row: Russ Meyer, Jim Gilliam, Billy Loes, Clem Labine, Gil Hodges, Ed Roebuck, Don Bessent, Duke Snider, Johnny Podres, Rube Walker, Jackie Robinson. Seated: Charlie DiGiovanna (batboy).

The text on the poster is a song called "Hometown Piece for Messrs. Alston and Reese" by Marianne Moore

To the tune:
"Lil' baby, don't say a word: mama goin' to buy you a mockingbird. Bird don't sing: Mama goin' to sell it and buy a brass ring."

"Millenium," yes; "pandemonium"!
Roy Campanella leaps high. Dodgerdom

crowned, had Johnny Podres on the mound.
Buzzie Bavasi and the Press gave ground;

the team slapped, mauled, and asked the Yankees' match,
"How did you feel when Sandy Aromos made the catch?"

"I said to myself"-pitcher for all innings-
"as I walked back to the mound I said, 'Everything's

getting better and better.' " (Zest: they've zest.
" 'Hope springs eternal in the Brooklyn breast.' "

And would the Dodger Band in 8, row 1, relax
if they saw collector of income tax?

Ready with a tune if that should occur:
"Why Not Take All of Me-All of Me, Sir?")

Another series. Round-tripper Duke at bat,
"Four hundred feet from home-plate"; more like that.

A neat bunt, please; a cloud-breaker, a drive
like Jim Gilliam's great big one. Hope's alive.

Homered, flied out, fouled? Our "stylish stout"
so nimble Campanella will have him out.

A-squat in double-headers four hundred times a day,
he says that in a measure the pleasure is the pay:

catcher to pitcher, a nice easy throw
almost as if he'd just told it go.

Willie Mays should be a Dodger. He should-
a lad for Roger Craig and Clem Labine to elude;

but you have an omen, penant-winning Peewee,
on which we are looking superstitiously.

Ralph Branca has Preacher Roe's number; recall?
and there's Don Bessent; he can really fire the ball.

As for Gil Hodges, in custody of first-
"He'll do it by himself." Now a specialist-versed

in an extension reach far into the box seats-
he lengthens up, leans and gloves the ball. He defeats

expectation by a whisker. The modest star,
irked by one misplay, is no hero by a hair;

in a strikeout slaughter when what could matter more,
he lines a homer to the signboard and has changed the score.

Then for his nineteeth season, a home run-
with four of six runs batted in-Carl Furillo's the big gun;

almost dehorned the foe-the fans dancing in delight.
Jake Pitler and his Playground "get a Night"-

Jake, the hearty man, made heartier by the harrier
who can bat as well as field-Don Demeter.

Shutting them out for nine-innings-hitter too-
Carl Erskine leaves Cimoli nothing to do.

Take off the goat-horns, Dodgers, that egret
which two very fine base-stealers can offset.

You've got plenty: Jackie Robinson
and Campy and big Newk, and Dodgerdom again
watching everything you do. You won last year. Come on.

100_0236 (via GScott20)

100_0242 (via GScott20)