This Day in Walter O’Malley History:

  • Capt. Emil Praeger, the noted designer and engineer of the United Nations Building in 1953 and the White House renovation in 1949, writes a letter to Walter O’Malley regarding the plans to construct Holman Stadium at Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Florida. Praeger also encloses stadium specification plans which outline “all labor, workmanship, materials, tools, equipment, etc., necessary to complete the work.”

  • Walter O’Malley makes an appearance on KCOP-TV Channel 13 in Los Angeles with Mark Scott in support of “Proposition B,” a key referendum regarding the approved contract between the Dodgers and the City of Los Angeles. On June 3, 1958, voters of Los Angeles were to cast their ballot on the Referendum either for a “Yes” vote, meaning the contract was to remain in force, or a “No” vote, which would have voided the contract. In 1959 and 1960, Scott was the host of the popular TV program “Home Run Derby,” which pitted baseball’s top sluggers trying to hit the ball out of the park for cash.

  • Responding to gossip columnist Hedda Hopper in a letter Walter O’Malley offers this tidbit, “Coming away from the (Lauritz) Melchior wedding and reception and walking to my car, I was stopped by a lady driver who wanted to know what all the excitement was about. She saw a long line of parked automobiles with police cars and radio and TV vehicles. I told her “A man has just committed Matrimony.” She said, “Isn’t that terrible, who is he?” I told her “Lauritz Melchior.” She said, “My husband will be so disappointed, he always thought he was a great artist, I wonder why he did it.” For world-famous heldentenor Melchior it was his third marriage, while for bride Mary Markham, a top Hollywood booking agent, it was her second. Hopper uses the story in her syndicated column on June 2.

  • As head of baseball’s expansion committee, Walter O’Malley announces that Montreal and San Diego were granted franchises for the 1969 season.

  • Walter O’Malley sends a telegram to former Dodger star pitcher Preacher Roe which reads, “Congratulations on being inducted into the NAIA Hall of Fame. It is a great honor and you are very deserving for your great contributions to baseball in general and the Dodgers in particular.” Elwin Charles “Preacher” Roe won 93 games for the Brooklyn Dodgers, including 22 in 1951, which was O’Malley’s first season as club President.