This Day in Walter O’Malley History:
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Daily News columnist Jimmy Powers visits Walter O’Malley and family at their Amityville, Long Island, New York home. In the column, O’Malley explains how he got involved with the Dodgers. “George V. McLaughlin, the former (New York City) Police Commissioner, is responsible for my interest in the Dodgers,” he said. “Not for my interest in baseball, because I was interested in the Athletics when I was at Pennsylvania. I was always a baseball fan. But George V. would often call on a Sunday morning and say ‘Let’s hop out to Dexter Park (to see the Bushwicks play).’ After that I bought a season box at Ebbets Field. So I can truthfully say the problems of the man who pays the freight became my problems. I have grown up with this thing. I want to see the Dodgers back where everybody loves ’em. It shouldn’t be too tough to figure out. When I had a box seat, I liked to have a doubleheader once in a while. Well, we’ll try doubleheaders, and see if the fans go for ’em! We’ll try other things, anything.” Jimmy Powers, Daily News, November 12, 1950
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The Sporting News writes of an informal press conference held by Walter O’Malley regarding a lunch he had with Milwaukee Braves owner Lou Perini. O’Malley explained the lunch concerned a proposal to televise Dodger games in Milwaukee when one reporter asked O’Malley whether the two owners had discussed trading Warren Spahn to the Dodgers. “Spahn? Spahn? Do we want Spahn? We were talking about this television business, that’s all. How did Spahn get into this?” Reporters continued to question O’Malley about the Dodgers’ interest in Spahn. “You see, we feel that telecasting our road games back home would certainly not hurt attendance at the park at which we are playing and it might help our attendance when we got back home. It would preserve a continuity of baseball for the home fans.” Reporters dropped the television angle and continued to ask about a deal involving Spahn. “Spahn?” said O’Malley. “I thought television was the subject of this conversation. You newspaper fellows get the darnedest ideas.” The Sporting News, November 12, 1952
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The Brooklyn Dodgers defeat the Japan All-Stars, 10-2, in the next to last game of their 1956 Goodwill Tour in Japan. The Dodgers would wind up the series with a 14-4-1 overall record. Jackie Robinson homered in the fourth inning off Takehiko Bessho for his last homer in a Dodger uniform. Gil Hodges, Roy Campanella and Pee Wee Reese also homered. Two days earlier, pitcher Bessho had faced Robinson in the 11th inning with first base open and Japan All-Star Manager Shigeru Mizuhara signaled for an intentional walk. Pitcher Bessho refused to walk Robinson intentionally, even after catcher Shigeru Fujio came out to the mound twice to talk to Bessho. Bessho pitched to Robinson and Jackie doubled home Jim Gilliam to win the game for the Dodgers, 5-4. General Lyman Lemnitzer, future Chief of Staff for United States military forces, attended all six games by the Dodgers in Tokyo. General Lemnitzer played baseball at West Point and was a catcher. Bob Bowie, The Sporting News, November 21, 1956
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Walter O’Malley thanks Japan sports columnist and good friend Sotaro Suzuki for his congratulatory wishes. “It was with great pleasure that I received your wire and knew that you were rejoicing with us in our World Series triumph. It was indeed a magnificent victory — one which every member of the team and organization shared since they all helped to bring it about...We were all extremely disappointed that the Yomiuri Giants were beat by the Nankai Hawks in the (Japan) World Series, since we hoped that both of our clubs could emerge victorious in 1959.” Suzuki was instrumental in organizing six visits to Japan by major league clubs, including the Dodgers in 1956 and again in 1966. He was inducted into the Japan Baseball Hall of Fame in 1968.
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Walter O’Malley is the featured guest on “Newsmakers”, the KNXT Channel 2 program. In its advertisement for the show, “Newsmakers” asks the following questions, “Is the honeymoon over with L.A. Dodger fans? Is baseball today more business than sport? Has Walter O’Malley changed his views about televised Dodger games? He answers tonight!” O’Malley discussed those topics, as well as the possible expansion of the National League, which he accurately predicted would be in five years (the addition of San Diego and Montreal).
