This Day in Walter O’Malley History:

  • “A better reception than we got in Brooklyn for winning the World Series” was Walter O’Malley’s summation of a rally of 13,000 fans who packed the Jersey City Armory in New Jersey to honor the 1955 World Champion Dodgers. Television host Bud Collyer of “To Tell The Truth” served as co-Master of Ceremonies and was in charge of giving away bats, baseballs and bicycles to children with winning tickets. O’Malley thanked everyone for the “grand turnout. You’re our kind of people and I am happy to present the World Champions to Jersey City.” The Dodgers were scheduled to play seven home games in Jersey City beginning in April 1956. The Jersey Journal Observer noted, “Vince Scully, who serves as the voice of the Dodgers, handled the introduction of the players and expressed his own pleasure at the teams moving to ‘my home state.’” New Jersey Governor Robert Meyner attended the event and said, “he had some pleasant tasks but no more pleasant than to welcome the Dodgers to Jersey City.” Ed Grant, The Jersey Journal Observer; and Hudson Dispatch, Union City, NJ, February 2, 1956

  • Three members of the committee established to meet emergencies of a baseball club in the event of a transportation disaster meet at the Hotel Commodore in New York City. Walter O’Malley, Philip K. Wrigley, owner of the Chicago Cubs and George Fletcher, secretary of the Philadelphia Phillies participate in the important major league meetings.

  • Upon election of George Weiss to the Baseball Hall of Fame, Walter O’Malley writes in a letter to the former New York Yankees General Manager (1947-60) and New York Mets President (1961-66), “Your old friends here were delighted at your election to the Hall of Fame. Congratulations. All the best, George, and fond regards to Hazel (Weiss’s wife).”