This Day in Walter O’Malley History:
-
Walter O’Malley writes a note to be sent as a telegram to Dodger Manager Chuck Dressen to show his support as the Giants and Dodgers open a five-game series with New York. The Dodger lead once had been 11 games over the Giants and had been reduced to a six-game advantage. O’Malley writes, “Charley: Look at it this way. Fifteen other major league clubs would like to have our lead. But we would not be the daffy Dodgers if it could be done the easy way. We have to beat the Giants. If we don’t, then we don’t deserve to win. You have done your job well. We need courageous pitching and free and vicious hitting. There should be no pressure on us. It has to be on the Giants. We have enough guys who want to win to do the job. Remember, half the lies they tell about the Dodgers aren’t true. Sincerely, Walter F. O’Malley.”
-
Sotaro Suzuki, the sports columnist who helped to establish and promote international relationships between his native Japan and the United States, autographs a photograph of him with Walter O’Malley. O’Malley and the Dodgers agreed to participate in a 1956 Goodwill Tour to Japan, on the invitation of Matsutaro Shoriki, the legendary “father of professional baseball in Japan,” who dispatched Suzuki to meet with O’Malley. Shoriki owned the Yomiuri Giants and the Yomiuri Shimbun, which sponsored the trip. In 1968, Suzuki was inducted into the Japan Baseball Hall of Fame for his many contributions, including coordinating six U.S. major league tours to Japan.
-
Walter O’Malley responds to C. Edgar Norris, City Clerk for Toronto, Ontario, Canada who had written him a letter in August. Norris had indicated that a Fact-Finding Subcommittee for the City of Toronto had received a “firm private offer” to construct a new all-purpose stadium, to include a Major League Baseball team, upon assurance that the American or National League would grant expansion there. O’Malley says, “Thank you for your letter of August 23rd. I must regret that at this moment I am not giving you the assurance requested in the last part of your letter. The committee of which I am chairman is an investigating and reporting committee. Under the circumstances final action is reserved to the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs. I, of course, cannot speak for the American League as Mr. Del Webb is Chairman of their committee on expansion. The all purpose sports stadium which I have been pioneering for the last 14 years is now receiving considerable attention in other cities, namely, New York, Houston, Ft. Worth-Dallas, Pittsburgh and Tokyo. I have no pride of authorship but it is refreshing to see so much interest in a domed stadium as contrasted with the traditional open air stadium ball park. You will know from your own weather reports if such a stadium would be logical in Toronto.” Major League Baseball announced it would expand into Toronto for the 1977 season at Exhibition Stadium, a converted football venue. In 1989, the Toronto Blue Jays moved into their new home, SkyDome.
-
As they attract a crowd of 54,623 against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium, the Dodgers break the then major league record for attendance at 2,287,772.
-
Hall of Fame Manager Casey Stengel and Mayor Sam Yorty of Los Angeles are guests of Walter O’Malley at a Dodger game.
-
Fernando Valenzuela shuts out the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-0 at Dodger Stadium. His seventh shutout ties a National League rookie pitcher record for shutouts.
