This Day in Walter O’Malley History:
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The front cover of The Sporting News features a cartoon by Lou Darvas depicting National League team owners in a high-stakes poker game holding cards, not playing cards, though, but baseball cards. Each owner is trying to improve his “hand” with his respective club during baseball’s off-season. A grinning O’Malley, who is saying “Gimme A Couple of Aces...Make ‘em pitchers”, looks the most confident with a strong Dodger team, coming off back-to-back National League Pennants, and a successful farm system.
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Heavy rains in the Vero Beach, Florida area did considerable damage to the nine-hole pitch-and-putt golf course around the heart-shaped lake near Holman Stadium at Dodgertown. The golf course for recreational use of the players and press would have to be rebuilt. On his way to Vero Beach to assess the damage, Walter O’Malley noted, “We’ll lick it. It’ll be ready when you get down there in the spring.” The Sporting News, November 4, 1953 The excavation of the land that formed the lake was required to furnish the dirt for new Holman Stadium, which opened on March 11, 1953. O’Malley created the heart-shaped lake in honor of his wife Kay.
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National League umpire (and future Hall of Famer) Jocko Conlan was overruled in his attempts to call the exhibition game between the Dodgers and an All-Japan team at Nishinomiya Stadium in Osaka because of darkness and a light drizzle. The game was part of the Brooklyn Dodgers’ 1956 Goodwill Tour to Japan. The enthralled 40,000 fans sat tight, occasionally shouting, “Yaro” (play ball!).
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Walter O’Malley delivers architectural stadium plans for Dodger Stadium to Los Angeles City Councilman Ransom M. Callicott, chairman of the council’s planning committee. O’Malley brought eight detailed maps for land development at the stadium site. The New York firm of Praeger-Kavanagh-Waterbury prepared the architectural plans, under the guidance of designer Capt. Emil Praeger. O’Malley said, “We feel when Councilman Callicott and the other members of the City Council have a chance to inspect and study these plans, they will be completely satisfied. The plans that have been on file, plus the new plot plan and tract map, show that this is going to be a beautifully landscaped stadium that will compare favorably with Santa Anita, Hollywood Park and the Coliseum. We have submitted plans for what we believe will be the most beautiful sports stadium in the world, in keeping with the best interest of the community.” Frank Waldman, Los Angeles Times, November 5, 1959
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On the occasion of the appointment of former Dodger Manager and coach Charlie Dressen as Manager of the Milwaukee Braves for the 1960 and 1961 seasons, Walter O’Malley sends a telegram to him. Dressen managed the Dodgers from 1951-53 and was a coach in Los Angeles in 1958 and the World Champion 1959 season. O’Malley’s telegram read, “Best personal wishes, Charley, but we will try to keep you from winning the 1960 pennant.” The Sporting News, November 4, 1959 The Dodgers had defeated the rival Braves in two games in the best-of-three playoff to win the 1959 National League Pennant.
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Dodger pitching hero Sandy Koufax meets with Walter O’Malley in the President’s office at Dodger Stadium to talk about the following year’s contract. Koufax had just won his second National League Cy Young Award and had helped to lead the Dodgers to the 1965 World Championship.
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While on a goodwill tour to Japan, Baseball Commissioner William D. Eckert and Walter O’Malley pay a visit to Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Sato at his official residence. O’Malley presents an autographed baseball to Mr. Sato, while Eckert gives him a season pass for all major league games in 1967. In addition, the entire Dodger party of 74 was treated to a farewell dinner party, sponsored by the Yomiuri Shimbun, at the Yugiri restaurant in the Ginza. Eckert and O’Malley both expressed gratitude to the host Japanese for the tour and for deepening the Japan — U.S. relations through baseball.
