This Day in Walter O’Malley History: September 30

At a luncheon at the St. George Hotel in Brooklyn, Walter O’Malley launches the 70th Annual United Hospital Fund drive with a goal of raising $375,000. O’Malley was the general chairman for Brooklyn and set the fund’s goal as the largest ever for the Borough’s 2,500 volunteers.

Walter O’Malley provides two tickets to all home games for the Dodgers in the 1953 World Series to construction worker Louis Sarno. Sarno saved the life of a two-year-old child who fell from a fourth floor window in the New York area and O’Malley wanted to properly reward the New Yorker. The Sporting News, September 30, 1953

A letter from Lawrence Hochfield to Walter O’Malley states, “While serving in the United States Army in Korea you as President of the Dodgers sent me various pictures and other materials about the Dodgers including a Dodger penant (sp.). When the pictures came to me while I was serving with the 504th Transportation Truck Company, the pictures were put up on the wall of our company club...When I left Korea I was asked and asked by one of the Battalion Officers to please let him have the pictures of the team also the Dodger yearbook and the Dodger Pennant, which I finnaly (sp.) gave to him. Again, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything that you sent me. I know this year the National League Pennant and the World Series will come to Brooklyn. I am looking forward in the near future of maybe someday I might run into you and shake hands with you and thank you again.”

Industrial designer and theatre architect Norman Bel Geddes writes about research he has done for a dome stadium roof in a letter to Walter O’Malley. “This letter brings you some important information on the subject of a wide span roof. If you don’t wish to consider it in your plans, please so inform me, because I can apply it to any existing stadium as well as a new one. The ceiling structure, instead of being supported is suspended from eight steel or aluminum towers on a perimeter of the new or old stadium. From these towers catinaries (sp.) carry the roof by suspension. The roof material would be aluminum or plastic sheets. The cost will be considerably less than any other form of wide span structure...My engineering associate in this matter is David Steinman the greatest catenary engineer living. If you choose to revise your thinking and include me as the principal designer of your stadium, with what other engineers and architects are required to do the best job in the world for you; and if there is a possibility of your new stadium become a reality within the next two or three years I will withhold everything because of my friendship for you. Otherwise, I wish to submit it to owners of other ball parks.” O’Malley had always made it known that the designer of his new stadium would be Capt. Emil Praeger, who had been the consulting engineer for the United Nations building in 1953 and the White House renovation in 1949. Praeger had also designed Holman Stadium, which opened in 1953, at Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Florida.

Don Newcombe pitches the Dodgers to a 8-6 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates and wins his 27th game of the season. The Dodger win clinches the 1956 National League pennant on the final game of the regular season. Newcombe would go on to be voted the National League Most Valuable Player and be elected as the first Cy Young Award winner.

The Kiwanis Club of Los Angeles makes Walter O’Malley an honorary life member at its weekly luncheon meeting at the Biltmore Hotel. The presentation is made by Thomas R. Knudsen, a friend of O’Malley and a longtime member of the club. O’Malley was recognized for his “considerable and consistent contributions to the Kiwanis charities since he moved here.”

Walter O’Malley sends a note to Capt. Paul A. Lenz, Commander, Records and Identification Division of the Los Angeles Police Department. O’Malley writes, “It was thoughtful of you to take the trouble to write me about Sandy Koufax and Maury Wills. The players know they have my personal appreciation for such off duty appearances. Let us know any time when we can cooperate further with you and your department.” Koufax and Wills were the highlight of a picnic for police employees and their families at the Police Academy.

In his letter to heldentenor Lauritz Melchior, Walter O’Malley writes, “Dodger Assistant General Manager Red Patterson has just asked me if I had mentioned inviting you to sing the Star Spangled Banner for the first game of the World Series in Los Angeles and I told him I had not because I assumed that you were the Official Dodger Opening Game Kammersanger.”

After watching the Dodgers win the National League Pennant and prepare to play the Minnesota Twins in the 1965 World Series, Walter O’Malley sends a letter to Ted Rosenak, Executive Vice President of Marketing for Pabst Brewing Company in Milwaukee, Wisconsin stating, “The four leaf clover has a potency all its own! Call me immediately if you have ticket problems in Minneapolis as I would like to help you. All the best.” O’Malley also included a real four leaf clover with his letter.