This Day in Walter O’Malley History:

  • Carlos Rubio Alvarez, Vice President and General Manager of Club Aguila de Veracruz in Mexico writes a thank you letter to Walter O’Malley, after visiting Dodgertown in Vero Beach, Florida. “Thanks for the fine welcome I received from you and your employees, during my recent visit to the Magnificent Training Camp of the clubs that you are the President. This visit has been for me a great satisfactory one and at the same time of a great objective teaching. I hope this to be the beginning of our relations which will be increasing in the future for the benefit of both parties.”

  • Walter O’Malley writes a congratulatory letter to Irving Koufax, father of Dodger star pitcher Sandy Koufax, on his passing the California Bar. “This was a real challenge and I am really pleased that you made it,” said O’Malley, who had his own law firm of 18 attorneys in New York. “Sandy seems to be throwing naturally and has been impressive. He has only had six marriage proposals since coming to Florida. I do not know what he is waiting for. All teasing aside, congratulations again.” Irving Koufax married Sandy’s mother when Sandy was nine years old.

  • Internationally famous heldentenor Lauritz Melchior is invited by Walter O’Malley to sing the national anthem on Opening Day for the 1964 season at Dodger Stadium.

  • Walter O’Malley writes a disappointed Dodger fan regarding the decision to sign Juan Marichal, the former Giant pitcher and future Hall of Famer. Marichal regularly beat the Dodgers in his best seasons in the 1960s and the fan let O’Malley know of his unhappiness to sign the pitcher. O’Malley responds, “I...can understand your feelings. It has been interesting, however, that only three such letters have been received against an overwhelming volume to the opposite approach. It remains to be seen whether and if Marichal will be effective and if so it is our opinion the fans will forget the past and that he might help the Dodgers at a time when we are trying to fill the gap left by Tommy John’s injury, however I respect your right to differ.”