This Day in Walter O’Malley History:
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The largest crowd in World Series history, 92,706, attends Game 5 between the Dodgers and the Chicago White Sox at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. It is also the third consecutive World Series crowd with more than 92,000 fans in Los Angeles. The Dodgers lose 1-0, but still maintain a three games to two lead in the Series.
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Los Angeles Herald-Examiner writer Bob Hunter does a feature on Walter O’Malley stating, “Since Walter Francis O’Malley moved the Dodgers from a comparatively small-time operation in decadent Ebbets Field in Brooklyn to Los Angeles, he has drawn more than 10,000,000 paid admissions in five seasons. This feat of showmanship, mingled with an exceptional product, enabled the Dodger president to attain an achievement reached only twice in the history of the game — by the Yankees from 1946-50 and the Braves from 1954-58...From 1949-59, the Dodgers claimed six championships and won World’s Series on the Atlantic as well as the Pacific. Under his leadership, the Dodgers produced the largest gate in the history of baseball in 1959, when 93,103 filled the (Los Angeles Memorial) Coliseum for the game with the Yankees as a tribute to Roy Campanella. In the 1959 World’s Series, the Dodgers established three successive all-time Series records with crowds in excess of 92,000...There is no more dominating figure in baseball than The Great O’Malley, and his multi contributions have been as significant as any man who ever combined sport and business.” Bob Hunter, The Sporting News, October 6, 1962
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The Dodgers win their third World Championship, sweeping the rival New York Yankees in four games. It marked the only time the Dodgers celebrated a World Series title on their home field at Dodger Stadium. World Series MVP Sandy Koufax beat Whitey Ford in Game 4, 2-1, before a whopping sellout crowd of 55,912.