This Day in Walter O’Malley History: May 14

Chicago Cubs Director of Player Personnel Wid Matthews writes Walter O’Malley a response in regards to the possibility of the Cubs sharing Dodgertown as a Spring Training home. The Cubs moved to Mesa, Arizona in 1952 following seven years at Catalina Island, California. Matthews writes, “Thank you for your letter of May 5 regarding a lease or working arrangement for the use of part of Vero Beach. It is nice of you to think of us and you know that I personally appreciate it. However, we have already gone forward with other plans and I do not believe we will be interested in the proposition stated.”

It is a typically busy day of meetings for Walter O’Malley, as in his personal appointment book he has the following schedule: 11 a.m. — Jess Hill (Athletic Director at USC) and (USC Baseball Coach) Rod Dedeaux; 12 noon — John Ferraro (All-America football star at USC and insurance executive) lunch at Terrace Room of Statler; 2 p.m. — Warren Dorn, Los Angeles County Supervisor; and 2:45 p.m. — Roy Ringer of the P.R. firm of Baus and Ross. Ferraro later served Los Angeles as a City Councilman, appointed in 1966 and re-elected nine times from the 4th District. Ringer, who had worked for the original Daily News in Los Angeles until it folded in 1955, later would become an editorial writer for the Los Angeles Times.

Los Angeles-based sports columnist Melvin Durslag writes a comprehensive feature for The Saturday Evening Post entitled “A Visit with Walter O’Malley” for its May 14 issue.

Walter O’Malley delivers a message for the fallen at the Peace Officers Memorial Service in Los Angeles.