This Day in Walter O’Malley History:

  • Walter O’Malley arranges for the Brooklyn Dodgers to make a donation of $5,000 to supply baseballs and bats as well as training programs and clinics to the Long Island Little League Baseball program. Every Little League team in Nassau and Suffolk benefited from the donation, the first of its kind to be made by a New York major league club. O’Malley also made his scouts, coaches and manager available to the Little League program.

  • Comedian extraordinaire Bob Hope makes an award presentation to Walter O’Malley at the Los Angeles Times 15th Annual Sports Award Dinner. O’Malley was in town to attend the Rose Bowl game on New Year’s Day and resume negotiations with Pasadena officials regarding playing Dodger home games at the Rose Bowl.

  • The All-Sports News carries a cartoon which originally ran in the New Haven Register by Walt Munson called “A Charge From the Champions” featuring a section showing a happy Walter O’Malley celebrating the World Championship of 1959 at the vast Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Dodgers had three record crowds of 92,000-plus during the World Series against the Chicago White Sox. O’Malley is depicted saying, “Wotta Thrill!” with the success of the team and the loyal support of the baseball fans in Los Angeles. The All-Sports News, December 30, 1959

  • After the Dodgers won the 1965 World Championship, their third title in Los Angeles (1959, 1963 and 1965), Walter O’Malley sends an assortment of Dodger miniature championship flags with a holder to various friends and business associates. O’Malley received this note: “Dear Walter: I will wave my championship flags high! As always, Francis” The note’s writer, using his “FAS” stationery, was the legendary Frank Sinatra.