As part of the 50th Anniversary of Dodger Stadium celebration, the Dodgers have scheduled 10 bobblehead stadium give aways this season. It has been well chronicled Vin Scully, Tom Lasorda & Walter Alston, Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale & Maury Wills, Mike Scioscia, Kirk Gibson, Orel Hershiser, Eric Karros, Fernando Valenzuela and The Infield of Garvey, Russell, Cey & Lopes will all be honored with bobble heads.
However, in his most recent piece for the Los Angeles Times, Bill Plaschke points out the Dodgers may have come up short by not including Hall of Fame Spanish language announcer, Jaime Jarrin. Plaschke points out:
A Hall of Fame broadcaster who has spent 53 years connecting with Dodgers fans in Spanish is not included. His name is Jaime Jarrin, he has been with the organization longer than all but Scully and Lasorda, and although you may have never heard him, there are large segments of this city who listen to only him, forming the foundation of today's loyal Latino Dodgers fan base.
The Dodgers issued a statement Saturday in which they defended the decision by saying there just weren't enough bobblehead dates for all the Dodgers greats. Yet, in the history of Dodgers bobbleheads, there have been 39 giveaway dates before this season, and Jarrin has not been on a list that includes, among other luminaries, Cesar Isturiz and Joe Beimel.
He's on a plaque in Cooperstown, he's in a star on a Hollywood sidewalk, yet he can't get a lousy commemorative doll in Chavez Ravine?
When I told Jarrin I was writing this column, he was fairly aghast. He doesn't consider himself bigger than the team he loves or the fans he serves. He and Scully are very much alike in that that they are impeccably dressed and elegantly spoken, yet consider themselves just one of the guys.
"I have no complaints, I am totally fine with everything the Dodgers are doing," Jarrin said. "I feel very loved and appreciated by all the people who have listened to me over the years, and that is enough for me."
"I have no complaints, I am totally fine with everything the Dodgers are doing," Jarrin said. "I feel very loved and appreciated by all the people who have listened to me over the years, and that is enough for me."
Plaschke makes some decent points in his article. For the entire piece check out the LA Times article by clicking here
