This Day in Walter O’Malley History:
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With an exciting National League Pennant race coming down to its final days, Walter O’Malley watches the Dodger game at Braves Field in Boston. “I’m flying to Montreal to see the opener of the Little World Series tonight and flying back for the game here tomorrow,” said Walter before the game. Then he grinned and added: “I may just keep right on flying north if the boys drop this one.” Roscoe McGowen, The New York Times, September 27, 1951 According to the Brooklyn Eagle, “Mr. O’Malley wasn’t recognized by the small ladies-day crowd of 2,871, but when he donned a Dodger windbreaker the fans got an inkling of his identity.” Brooklyn Eagle, September 27, 1951
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A feature article in Collier’s magazine “Baseball’s Answer to TV” by Tom Meany presents the possibility of a dome stadium to be built in Brooklyn by the Dodgers to replace aging Ebbets Field. The article includes the brain trust behind the possible multi-purpose dome stadium as Dodger President Walter O’Malley, engineer Capt. Emil Praeger and designer and architect Norman Bel Geddes. Plans called for a 600-foot span for the dome (whether solid, transparent, or slides aside). Seating capacity was to be 55,000, which could be expanded to 90,000 for boxing matches and conventions. Wider seats angled towards home plate, a large parking garage, a shopping center, automatic ticket takers and synthetic turf were all on the drawing boards for the first new stadium to be privately built since 1923. “Brooklyn President O’Malley, himself a man of foresight and imagination, finds himself startled from time to time by Geddes’ enthusiasm for the new project. Each time O’Malley cries out, ‘No, no, Norman!’ he gets the same answer from Geddes, and Praeger, too. ‘Let’s not take the strikingly novel features out until we know they are wrong.’ And, so far, they have been able to stand him off, a feat of no mean proportions, as O’Malley’s baseball competitors will tell you.” Tom Meany, "Baseball's Answer to TV," Collier's, September 27, 1952
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Los Angeles Mayor Norris Poulson sends the following telegram to Walter O’Malley in Brooklyn, “Paul Zimmerman, Sports Editor Los Angeles Times, has briefed me on his recent conversation with you. I will be in New York on Saturday and Sunday, October 1 and 2 at Waldorf Astoria. Would appreciate opportunity to give you status of plane (sp.) of both Los Angeles and San Francisco for Major League Baseball. Any meeting between us would be on no publicity basis. Please wire me collect Statler Hotel, Boston, before Friday evening, whether I can see you in New York Saturday or Sunday. Norris Poulson Mayor.” Dodger Assistant General Manager Arthur E. “Red” Patterson wrote a telegram to Mayor Poulson stating, “Will be at Ebbets Field for World Series Oct. 1 and 2. You can reach me there by calling Buckminster 4 8500 before 12:30. Regards. Arthur Patterson”
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Walter O’Malley receives a sportsmanship award from the Banshees. Also honored at the same luncheon are Althea Gibson, the 1956 French Open tennis champion, Johnny Hayes, the 1908 Olympic marathon gold medal winner and Herman Hickman, the former head football coach at Yale and a popular television and radio commentator.
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Sandy Koufax sets a National League record for most strikeouts in a season when he fans seven in a 2-1 loss at Philadelphia. His 269 strikeouts in 1961 breaks the old record of Christy Mathewson of 267 set in 1903.
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As the Dodgers were battling to win the National League Pennant in a tight race with the San Francisco Giants, Walter O’Malley writes a letter to former Los Angeles Mayor Norris Poulson. “We are running out of scripts and right now we are not sure just which finish we should use. Seriously, I am quite proud of the team for doing this well knowing that we were not able to replace Tommy Davis. Lack of power has been the problem.” O’Malley continues that he will not jinx making the World Series by inviting Poulson to it. The Dodgers went on to win six of their final seven regular season games to capture the N.L. Pennant with a 97-65 record and finished two games ahead of the Giants. In all, the Dodgers won 15 of their last 16 games played.
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In his letter to United States Senator Thomas H. Kuchel, Walter O’Malley writes, “Would you jointly represent me in extending an invitation to the President to attend the World Series at Dodger Stadium. Some folks think that this is iffy but we have confidence. Walter F. O’Malley, President, Los Angeles Dodgers.” Kuchel, served as a Republican Senator from California from 1953-69. Senator Kuchel responded the next day, “Of course, I would be most happy to join in asking the Chief Executive to warm up his airplane for a trip to witness a game, but I do feel I would be in a better position to suggest a destination to his pilot if I waited just a big longer. From glancing at the sports pages, I note it should be possible very shortly to make firm travel plans.” The Dodgers did indeed play in the World Series, defeating the Minnesota Twins in seven games.
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Walter O’Malley writes a letter to Archbishop Patrick A. O’Boyle of Washington, D.C. and relates this story: “I am reminded of our conversation in the (President’s) box and I must tell you that Rabbi Edgar Magnin of Wilshire Boulevard Temple did come to a game with me. He brought his wife and that is something you cannot top. We ran the following copy on our Message Board “With us tonight Rabbi Edgar Magnin of Wilshire Blvd. Temple” and at the foot of the message we added the line “He prays for the Dodgers”. At a luncheon recently which I attended, and also Bob Reynolds, President of the Los Angeles Angels, each guest was asked to stand up and identify himself. When it came to Rabbi Magnin he gave his name and affiliation and added “I pray for the Dodgers”. With that Bob Reynolds arose and said “What about our Angels”. The Rabbi quickly responded “They are closer to Heaven than my Dodgers and do not need my prayers”. Incidentally, at the game I told him of our teasing conversation and he guaranteed a win. There immediately followed two Dodger home runs and later another one, a luxury I had not previously experienced this season so you see, one could conclude that he has excellent communications.”
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Walter O’Malley thanks Lt. E. W. Lawrence, Area Supervisor of the State of Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, for his assistance with the shipment of two live deer to Tokyo, Japan’s “Yomiuri Land.” The deer were to go on display in the religious gardens. “Mr. Toru Shoriki of Japan (owner of the Yomiuri Giants) was in the office when your letter arrived this morning with the picture of the deer and the crate,” writes O’Malley, who donated the deer and paid for their shipping costs. “He tells me they are doing remarkably well and have become accustomed to the Japanese surroundings. Be good enough, Larry, to pass on our sincere thanks to all your associates who helped to make the deer project a success.” Lawrence’s department assisted in building padded plywood crates for the deer, prior to their air freight shipment, with built-in spill-proof water and food compartments.
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Don Drysdale is honored on his day at Dodger Stadium and California Governor Ronald Reagan makes a presentation to the future Hall of Fame pitcher. Drysdale originally signed with the Dodgers and made his major league debut in 1956. He won 209 games in his career, one Cy Young Award in 1962, and pitched for three World Championship clubs in 1959, 1963 and 1965.
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Walter Alston announces his retirement as Dodger Manager after 23 seasons at the helm. “The Quiet Man,” who wore number 24, said, “I just thought I had enough.” Alston made the announcement to the media that he would manage his final game on Sunday, October 3. According to Bob Hunter of the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, Alston’s announcement came on the “40th Anniversary to the day of his only major league appearance (with the St. Louis Cardinals) in which he struck out.” Bob Hunter, Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, September 28, 1976 The O’Malley family informed the media that Alston would remain as a full-time member of the Dodger organization. Hunter ran an exclusive about Alston’s decision to retire in the Herald-Examiner on September 8.
