This Day in Walter O’Malley History: May 13

Walter O’Malley has lunch with National League President Warren Giles and New York Giants owner Horace Stoneham at the Commodore Hotel in New York, prior to attending a Major League Baseball Executive Council Meeting at Commissioner Ford C. Frick’s office.

With their 9-17 record good for the National League cellar, the Dodgers and Manager Walter Alston receive boos from the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum crowd while losing to the San Francisco Giants, 16-9. But, Walter O’Malley told reporters, “Don’t blame Alston, blame me. I’m for the manager always. I never blame the manager when the team gets in a slump. The responsibility is mine. I think the team will find itself on the road in the traditional parks; with an opportunity to get over the phobia of the left field fence.” Bud Furillo, Los Angeles Herald Express, May 14, 1958

Walter O’Malley announces at a civic luncheon at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles that “every day will be Knothole Day at Dodger home games in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum this year. It was our original plan to set aside eight or ten days this season on which children and their adult supervisors would be our free guests at the Coliseum. But the demand has been so great, we have decided that accredited organizations may bring as many children as they like, as often as they like, to every Dodger home game — day or night. We hope to welcome more than 500,000 Knotholers before this season ends.” O’Malley also spoke of plans to work with children’s hospitals and to provide the financing for the distribution of playing equipment to Little Leagues and other youth leagues.

In a letter to former publisher of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle Frank D. Schroth, Walter O’Malley writes “Last evening I was having dinner at the Brown Derby in Hollywood when a waiter brought up a framed copy of the Brooklyn Eagle January 2, 1898 edition, p. 22. The headline was ‘Ebbets to control the Brooklyn Club”. It seems that the owner of the article had spotted me going into the restaurant whereupon he went home, took the framed article off the wall and brought it to the restaurant for me to read. I really got quite a nostalgic thrill.”

After attending TIME’s 40th Anniversary Dinner — for all living persons who had been on the cover of the magazine — on May 6, Walter O’Malley writes a letter to John C. Thomas, Jr., Los Angeles Manager of TIME stating, “Mrs. O’Malley and I appreciate your courtesies on the evening of May 6th, at the TIME 40th Anniversary.” O’Malley invites Thomas to dinner and a Dodger game during the season.

Mrs. Paquita Machris writes a letter to Kay and Walter O’Malley thanking them for their assistance in co-hosting the grand opening of the Maurice Machris and Tom Knudsen Elephant Habitat exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History. “The elephant habitat opening was a great success. The Museum Alliance thanks you for helping to make it possible. Maury and I want to add our personal thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to appear before the members of the Museum of Natural History. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the program, and it was wonderful to see so many glamorous people present.” Art Linkletter served as Master of Ceremonies for the opening. Mrs. Machris also sends an honorary membership card to Walter O’Malley for the Museum of Natural History.

Los Angeles Police Chief Ed Davis attends a Dodger game as a guest of Walter O’Malley. Davis served as Chief of Police from August 1969 until January 1978.