This Day in Walter O’Malley History:

  • Walter O’Malley travels to Indiana for a Directors Meeting of Todd & Brown, Inc. The civil engineering firm operated the Kingsbury Ordnance Plant in La Porte, Indiana which assembled and produced ammunition of all types.

  • Due to the passing of his friend and business partner John L. Smith, Walter O’Malley is unable to attend the 1950 All-Star Game. Smith left his $4,000,000 estate and 25 percent of the shares of Dodger stock to his widow Mary Louise (May). The Brooklyn Trust Company and Mrs. Smith were named co-executors of the estate.

  • In his response to a female Dodger fan from Philadelphia who attended a game at Ebbets Field and was upset by an ill-mannered concession worker, Walter O’Malley writes, “We were pleased to learn from your letter that you had attended a game at Ebbets Field and, of course, we are distressed that you encountered discourtesy by one of our concession vendors. It is unfortunate that you did not take the man’s number or the location of the stand as that would help us to identify him. Occasionally we do have cases of discourtesy but not as frequently as people might think. It is good of you to let us know.”

  • Jan Hartog of the Royal Dutch Baseball Association writes Walter O’Malley to thank him for a photograph, which he framed and put in his office. “I’m glad that the good relations between us and the Dodgers will be continued. I remember that I visited the United States together with the Dutch National team in September 1957, where, of course, we were eager to see a major-league (game). The Dodgers were prepared to receive us and imagine how surprised we were, when — after the first innings — they welcomed us over the radio. That you have been kind enough — a couple of years ago — to take care of Boudewijn Maat (one of our best players) during the spring training, as a result of which he could learn a lot, was another example of your extraordinary co-operation. In the same manner I and some other Dutch coaches had the privilege to learn from Al Campanis, when he visited Europe last February. Thanks a lot. Hoping that you will succeed in bringing back the Dodgers to the place where they belong, I remain, Jan Hartog.” In 1973, Hartog was inducted into the Babe Ruth Baseball Hall of Fame for his pioneering efforts to establish the Babe Ruth Baseball program to the Netherlands.

  • Walter and Kay O’Malley celebrate the marriage of their son Peter to Annette Zacho at St. Ansgar’s Catholic Church in Copenhagen, Denmark. In his personal appointment book, O’Malley writes, “Peter Gets Married! Wedding & Reception.”