Dodgertown Dates: 1956

Walter O’Malley was quoted as saying “Once again, the Dodgers are at Dodgertown, Vero Beach.  This time they are here as defending World Champions.  Our long-sought goal has been reached.  But now, we have an even greater problem – to stay on top of the baseball ladder.  We are sure of one thing.  We have the finest Spring Training base in the land – the most complete facilities imaginable, a great little ball park in Holman Stadium and the most cooperative neighbors in Florida.  Last year the Dodgers won the World Championship right here in Vero Beach.  It was the wonderful training we enjoyed here, the super condition of our players which established Brooklyn immediately.” (The 1955 Dodgers started the season 10-0). Special Dodger Section, Vero Beach Press-Journal, February 16, 1956

The World Champion Brooklyn Dodgers have pitchers and catchers reporting to Dodgertown for early Spring Training. Current Dodger starters as Carl Erskine, Don Newcombe, and Johnny Podres are joined with younger hopefuls as Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale. A photograph in the New York Herald Tribune shows Dodger players Roy Campanella, Sandy Koufax, and Billy Loes boarding the Dodger DC-3 with the logo “1955 Dodgers World Champions” on the side of the silver plane. New York Herald Tribune, February 22, 1956  The position players were to report on March 1st. Minor league players from 13 other clubs would report later in the month. Future Dodger shortstop Maury Wills reported March 15th with the St. Paul club.

Don Newcombe was to win the 1956 Cy Young Award and Most Valuable Player in the National League, but he first had to endure a hijacking of the train he was on that was taking him to Florida. In South Carolina, a convict  came into the train cab and held a gun on the engineer, ordering the railroad man to drive the train “hell bent for election.” Newcombe said later he had been awake and “I thought the train was going unusually fast, but I figured we were merely making up time.” The Sporting News, March 7, 1956

Florida State Senator Merrill Barber presents a key to the City of Vero Beach to Dodger President Walter O’Malley. Barber acted on behalf of Elmer Bauer, Mayor of Vero Beach. Bob Curzon, Vero Beach Press-Journal, February 23, 1956

Florida Governor Leroy Collins visits Dodgertown and is photographed holding a bat as he poses with Walter O’Malley, Vice President Fresco Thompson and Dodger Manager Walter Alston. Miami Daily News, February 24, 1956

Dodger Manager Walter Alston reveals a secret about the Dodgers’ 2-0 win in Game 7 over the New York Yankees to win the 1955 World Championship. “But Johnny (Podres) might have been out of there,” said Alston “even after (Sandy) Amoros caught that ball from Yogi Berra. If there had been a one-out situation, Clem Labine was ready and I might have brought him in. But having two out made it different.” Amoros caught Berra’s fly ball along the left field line for the second out of the inning and his relay throw went to Pee Wee Reese who then threw to Hodges for the double play that ended the inning. Roscoe McGowen, New York Times, February 27, 1956

New York Times writer Roscoe McGowen features Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Florida for the newspaper. McGowen says of Dodgertown that, “The Brooklyn Dodgers are loosening their muscles and sharpening their batting eyes at one of baseball’s best equipped training camps.” He includes the fact that signs of the former Naval Air barracks were still present as the painted saw and bones pointed to the doctors’ office. McGowen remarked on a half-field on the Dodgertown base that included just an infield, but no outfield. Walter O’Malley told of the reason for the half-field, known as Field No. 3. “Seems odd, perhaps, to have built an infield and not an outfield,” said O’Malley. “It provides another spot for an important part of our drills—infield practice, pitchers covering first base, pick-off practice and all that. We found enough room back of the running track to build it, so we did.  McGowen writes of the stadium that hosts major league exhibition games. “One of the complete fields is Holman Stadium, one of the finest small ball parks in the United States….It was designed by Captain Emil Praeger, a former naval architect…..It is named after Bud Holman, a salty outdoorsman…..It was Holman who paved the way for Branch  Rickey, then president of the Dodgers, to acquire use of the base.” The article also mentions this spring’s training innovation, a sliding dolly, designed by Dodger scout Arthur Dede. The player lays on a platform with wheels with cords designed to show the player the proper sliding position for his feet and legs.” Roscoe McGowen, New York Times, March 4, 1956

Walter O’Malley had reason to be proud of the Dodgers’ Spring Training camp in Dodgertown. Columnist Dick Young wrote, “If you happen to wander into the Brooks’ Spring Training site at Vero Beach, chances are 50-50 you’ll receive a guided tour from a roundish gent with a tight-fitting double-breasted suit and a cigar jammed into a cardboard holder clenched in his teeth. He’s Walter O’Malley, who just happens to own the club, and who takes a personal pride in showing visiting Dodger fans around the grounds.” Dick Young, The Sporting News, March 7, 1956  Also, Young writes of a new training technique for pitchers’ fielding practice for Dodger pitchers. “Brook brass has installed a training gimmick to improve pitchers’ pegs to second on come-back balls. If any of them fires the ball into center field while practicing the play, he must run out there to retrieve it. You’d be surprised how accurate the throws have been.” Dick Young, The Sporting News, March 7, 1956

Roy Campanella discusses the dedication and desire a major league player needs. He used Sandy Koufax as an example.  “Sandy has a lot of stuff and he takes care of himself. All he needs is better control.” Jimmy Burns, The Sporting News, March 7, 1956  Campanella also talked about pitcher Don Newcombe, an outstanding pitcher and a tough out at the plate. “Man, it’s gonna be tough living with that roomie (Newcombe) now. They’re letting him hit with the regulars every day.” Roscoe McGowen, The Sporting News, March 7, 1956

The Brooklyn Dodgers sign a right hand pitcher who had pitched for the Yomiuri Giants in 1955. Bill Nishita was born on the island of Hawaii and attended Santa Rosa Junior College and the University of California. He pitched one season for a team in Hawaii and pitched against a team of major league players on a barnstorming tour that included Duke Snider. Nishita then signed a two-year contract with Yomiuri and was 3-1 with 3.20 ERA in 1952. He was then called for U.S. military service in 1952. After his discharge, he pitched for the Yomiuri Giants in 1955 and was 1-2 with a 2.08 ERA in Japan. The Sporting News, March 14, 1956  The Dodgers’ signed Nishita to a minor league contract and he pitched with Montreal and Fort Worth in 1956. At Montreal, Nishita was 4-6 with a 4.65 ERA and his teammates include future Hall of Fame Manager Sparky Anderson and three-time World Series Champion catcher John Roseboro. At Fort Worth, he was 4-3 with 3.13 ERA and his teammates included Don Demeter and Norm Sherry. Nishita pitched for the Dodger organization in 1957 at Fort Worth where he went 6-4 with a 3.69 ERA. He returned to Japan to pitch for the Toiei Flyers and was 16-19 and finished 8th with a 2.39 ERA.

Dodger Manager Walter Alston is requiring all Dodger players to wear batting helmets during exhibition games. The 1956 season is the first that made it mandatory for all major league players to wear helmets and Alston wanted his players to be familiar with them during Spring Training. The Sporting News, March 14, 1956

Arthur Daley writes of Dodgertown in The New York Times Magazine that “There is nothing in all baseball that matches the factory the Brooklyn Dodgers operate at this training base here on Florida’s East Coast. It is a factory that rolls ball players off an assembly line…..Each player leaves with the same mark on his chassis, 'Made in Dodgertown.' It’s a mark that greater distinction in the trade this year than ever before because the finest machine to come from Vero Beach flaunts on its hood….all right, (the) pennant, if you insist—that proudly proclaims “Champions of the world.” Daley writes of Holman Stadium, “One diamond in the beautifully landscaped Holman Stadium that seats more than 4,000 and is adequate for any exhibition games not played in Miami (where the majority of the exhibition games are played).” Daley compares Dodgertown to other major league teams.  “The Yankees, the Cleveland Indians, the Boston Red Sox, the Detroit Tigers, and the New York Giants all have their variations of the Brooklyn factory plan, though none of them operates on the massive scale of that of Vero Beach. You have only to look at the results of the Vero Beach factory to see why others copy it—or would like to.” Daley concludes by saying, “The Dodgers here have the assured air that goes with being champions of the world, the first Brooklyn team ever to hold that distinction. Except for Captain Pee Wee Reese and the newly acquired Randy Jackson (secured by trade with the Cubs), every one of them advance through the assembly line at Vero Beach. On results alone, that would seem to make Dodgertown the finest baseball factory in the land.”  Arthur Daley, New York Times Magazine, March 18, 1956

Robert Creamer reports in Sports Illustrated on the World Champion Brooklyn Dodgers’ 1956 Spring Training season. Creamer tells of one game where 1955 National League MVP Roy Campanella was not in the starting lineup and to stay occupied, was the team batboy. Campanella was doing his job, handing out bats, picking them up and kneeling in the on-deck circle. Charlie DiGiovanna, the Dodgers’ usual batboy, came from the clubhouse and watched Campanella in his duties. When Campanella turned his head to see DiGiovanna, the clubhouse man told the Most Valuable Player, “You’ll never make it, son.”  Robert Creamer, Sports Illustrated, March 19, 1956

Dick Young wrote about Johnny Podres’ last evening as a civilian before entering the U.S. Navy.  Podres, Young, broadcaster Vin Scully and minor league managers Max Macon and Clay Bryant went out with the 1955 World Series hero. Podres asked the group, “Do you think they (the Dodgers) will miss my nine wins?” Dick Young, The Sporting News, March 21, 1956

Two players from the St. Paul club, a minor league club of the Dodgers, hit inside-the-park home runs in games played in Vero Beach. One of the Fort Worth players who hit a home run inside-the-park was a player not known for his power, but he would be a future Dodger shortstop would play on three World Championship Dodger teams and win the 1962 Most Valuable Player Award for the National League. The Sporting News however called him “Morrie” Wills and not as Dodger fans would remember him as “Maury.” The Sporting News, April 4, 1956

In on-field ceremonies before the World Champion Brooklyn Dodgers played the New York Yankees, Dodger Manager Walter Alston was presented with a trophy from the City of Vero Beach, to honor him for his efforts in the 1955 World Series. The Sporting News, April 4, 1956 The Dodgers would honor Alston by beating the Yankees, 15-7 as the Dodgers scored 11 runs in the second inning. Sandy Koufax started the game for the  Dodgers and when he walked in the second inning, Dodger first base coach Jake Pitler said, “Welcome aboard.  Haven’t see you here before.” Dodger coach Billy Herman said, “How do I coach this guy.  I’ve never seen him (Koufax) run the bases.”  Pitler and Herman could say that to Sandy as the young left hander had batted 12 times for the Dodgers in 1955 and had struck out 12 times. The Sporting News, April 4, 1956

Sandy Koufax was wild, but according to Dick Young, he was wilder throwing softer than throwing harder. “You wouldn’t believe how wild Sandy Koufax can be when he tries to throw the ball at half-speed,” wrote Young.  “He’s (Koufax) much more accurate when he cuts loose.” Dodger Vice President Fresco Thompson said, “I’d rather have a pitcher who can’t throw soft, than one that can’t throw hard.” Dick Young, The Sporting News, March 28, 1956

Hall of Fame pitcher Burleigh Grimes, who pitched for the Brooklyn Dodgers, was in Vero Beach, scouting the Dodgers as he worked for the Philadelphia Athletics. A minor leaguer was on first base and moving to second base on a hit and run as Gil Hodges hit a fly ball single to center field.  The minor leaguer ran to second, and then thinking the ball would be caught, ran back to first and then seeing it would fall for a single, finally ran to second. Grimes said, “They’re still using our old plays,” speaking of the Daffy Dodgers when he played. Dick Young, The Sporting News, March 28, 1956   Also, four Dodger minor league players did not report to Vero Beach because of voluntary retirement. The most prominent retiree was Fort Worth outfielder Bill Sharman, who decided to give up baseball to remain one of the top guards in the NBA and later coached in the National Basketball Association. Sharman played five seasons in the Dodger minor league system. The Sporting News, March 28, 1956

Herb Scharfman, photographer for the International News Service, thought he had great photos of Johnny Podres to be distributed nationally.  Knowing Podres would soon be inducted into the United States military, Scharfman had Podres pose eating and sleeping in a G.I. outfit, thinking Podres would be in the U.S. Army.  Podres was inducted in the U.S. Navy.  Scharfman said, “How could they do this to me!” and tore up the Podres photo. Dick Young, The Sporting News, April 11, 1956

Walter O’Malley appeared on a radio show, “Meet the Champions,” with Dodger Manager Walter Alston. The appearance fee for O’Malley on the show was donated to a young person to tryout at Dodgertown in Vero Beach. The Sporting News, June 13, 1956 

Roy Campanella treated his Dodger teammates to crabfingers flown in from Vero Beach, Florida to Brooklyn. Dick Young, The Sporting News, August 22, 1956

The Dodgers announced they would not play Spring Training games in the deep South in 1957. After playing games in Florida, they would go straight to Texas and then play one game in Kansas City before arriving in Brooklyn.  In the past, the Dodgers had played exhibition games in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Roscoe McGowen, The Sporting News, December 26, 1956