This Day in Walter O’Malley History:

  • Edwin Joseph O’Malley, Walter’s father, passes away in New York City at age 70. Just days earlier, he visited Vero Beach, Florida to see Dodgertown’s Holman Stadium, the new ballpark privately built and financed by Walter O’Malley and designed by Capt. Emil Praeger, with considerable input from O’Malley. Born in Manhattan, Edwin O’Malley was in the real estate and textile business before serving for Mayor John F. Hylan in the appointed position as Commissioner of Public Markets for the City of New York. He was a founder and director of Grand Street Boys Club; a past president of the Hollis Civic Association in Queens; a member of the Woodhaven Volunteer Exempt Firemen’s Association; and a life member of Lodge 878, B.P.O.E.

  • The fourth annual Los Angeles Baseball Writers’ Dinner is held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel’s International Ballroom on the eve of the Dodgers’ home opener against Philadelphia. The dinner is televised locally and popular actor William Frawley handles remote interviews of Los Angeles Angels players from Baltimore, where they are to play their first game in franchise history. Walter O’Malley is one of the dinner’s featured speakers, while fan-favorite Dinah Shore sings and Don Rickles unleashes plenty of zingers directed to the Dodgers and the Phillies.

  • Walter O’Malley’s dream ballpark, Dodger Stadium, opens to rave reviews and vast fan acceptance. O’Malley’s wife Kay throws the ceremonial first pitch from seats above the Dodger dugout, while Latin diva Alma Pedroza sings the national anthem. With seating for 56,000 fans and parking for 16,000 automobiles, six-level Dodger Stadium is the first privately-financed ballpark since Yankee Stadium was built in 1923. O’Malley spent $23 million building Dodger Stadium including construction, roads and land acquisition. The Dodgers lost to the Cincinnati Reds, 6-3. Dearie Mulvey, stockholder of the Dodgers, witnesses the first game in Dodger Stadium and is the only person in the crowd of 52,564 to have seen the home opener there and at Brooklyn’s Ebbets Field in 1913.

  • Phil Silvers serves as the master of ceremonies for the seventh annual Los Angeles Baseball Writers’ Awards Banquet at the packed Palladium honoring the 1963 World Champion Dodgers and the Los Angeles Angels. Famed lyricist Sammy Cahn writes a parody of Jerry Herman’s “Hello Dolly”: “Hello Dodgers, Yes. Hello Dodgers. May we say that you’re a lovely sight to see. We’re saying thanks, Dodgers. For the Yanks, Dodgers. And may ’64 turn out like ’63.” The writers also honor former 1935 Dodger infielder Rod Dedeaux, who was named the College Coach of the Year for the third time after leading the USC Trojans to the National Championship for the third consecutive year. Sandy Koufax was named 1963 Player of the Year for the Dodgers, while Albie Pearson won the same honor for the Angels. Among those in attendance were Walter O’Malley, Gene Autry, former Los Angeles Mayor Norris Poulson, Chad McClellan, who negotiated the Dodger contract on behalf of the City and County of Los Angeles, City Councilwoman Roz Wyman and County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn. Headlining the evening’s entertainment were Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dean Martin and Nancy Wilson. Bob Hunter, The Sporting News, April 25, 1964

  • Braven Dyer, longtime Los Angeles sportswriter, writes a feature on New York Yankee co-owner Del Webb in The Sporting News. Webb speaks of his high regard for Walter O’Malley: “He is one owner who spends his entire time on baseball, night and day, and gives it all his interest. He deserves whatever success he gets. I think baseball would be better off if there were more owners like him.” Braven Dyer, The Sporting News, April 10, 1965

  • Dodgertown’s Safari Pines Country Club in Vero Beach, Florida is the site of the G-P Flo-Cal Pro Am golf tournament, which includes professional players Ray Floyd (who won a Masters), Lou Graham (who won a U.S. Open), Bob Rosburg (who won a PGA Major) and Ed Merrins (head professional since 1962 at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles). Walter O’Malley hosts the three-day G-P Flo-Cal Pro Am event, which included an awards dinner. Dodgertown Director Dick Bird coordinated the efforts, which also features a two-day gin rummy tournament.