This Day in Walter O’Malley History:

  • Walter O’Malley is in Cleveland to attend an exhibition game between the Cleveland Indians and the Brooklyn Dodgers. The game was sponsored by the Cleveland Baseball Federation and was the sixth annual game. The Dodgers had graciously played in five of the previous six games of the benefit. O’Malley explained why he traveled to Cleveland for the game. “I thought it might be a nice gesture for me to appear at an exhibition game which had deprived the Dodgers of one of their very few days off and for which they don’t get a dime.” The New York Times, August 11, 1953  Reporters asked O’Malley on the speculation of signing then Manager Charlie Dressen to a multi-year contract and O’Malley said (the newspaper wrote facetiously) “There have been times when I have been opposed to signing a manager for more than one week.”

  • Walter O’Malley corresponds with New York City Planner Robert Moses and brings to Moses’ attention a possible site for the new Dodger Stadium in Brooklyn. “I want you to know that I appreciate all the time and attention you and George (Spargo, associate under Moses) gave to our letter yesterday. We might not be in agreement on some points, but we, at least, get a kick out of fighting,” wrote O’Malley. “Do me one further favor and have George show you the map in front of the brochure entitled ‘Brooklyn Stadium Atlantic Avenue site’.” Also, on this date, Adrian Van Sinderen expressed his thanks to Walter O’Malley for making available 500 tickets to a Dodger game to be sold for the benefit of the Brooklyn Children’s Museum. Van Sinderen was a prominent bank executive, author, book collector and philanthropist in New York City.

  • Walter O’Malley attends a memorial service for Earl C. Anthony, owner of a group of radio stations that included KFI, a 50,000 watt station then broadcasting Dodger games on radio.

  • The Sporting News reported that the Greater Los Angeles Press Club’s Eight Ball Welfare Foundation had offered to purchase Dodger Stadium from Walter O’Malley and then would lease it back to the Dodgers. O’Malley response to the offer from the Press Club was “We have no plans for anything along that line.” The Sporting News, August 10, 1963

  • A postcard is sent by a follower of the Dodgers, Walter R. O’Malley to Walter F. O’Malley, Dodger President. Walter R. was in Milwaukee attending a doubleheader between the Dodgers and the Braves and wrote the Dodger owner “To the other Walter.”

  • A meeting regarding cable television was held in Walter O’Malley’s office at Dodger Stadium. In attendance was Jack Kent Cooke, owner of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kings and the man who built The Forum in Inglewood, California.

  • Los Angeles Herald-Examiner columnist Melvin Durslag writes of the time that Al Davis, then Commissioner of the American Football League, paid a visit to Walter O’Malley at Dodger Stadium. Davis had hoped to start an AFL franchise in Los Angeles and wanted to use Dodger Stadium as their facility for games. In order to impress O’Malley in his position as Commissioner of the league, Davis rented a limousine and a chauffeur for transportation to Dodger Stadium. Suffolk Sun, August 10, 1968