Spring’s Eternal at Dodgertown

O’Malley, who played the perfect host, held a “happy hour” every night before dinner with his wife Kay and then, after dinner, would enjoy playing poker. He also improved conditions in the barracks by adding siding for insulation. Many nights were down to freezing in 1951.Joe Hendrickson, Dodgertown

A headline in The Sporting News in 1951 pronounced, “Bums Go From Rags to Riches at Camp,” as Dodgertown was upgraded under the leadership of O’Malley.Ibid. On March 18, 1951, Vero Beach residents rejoiced over the dedication of the new $800,000 Merrill Barber Bridge, spanning the Indian River.

O’Malley had a whirlwind first season in 1951, one that established his role within the game as a full-time owner and not as a hobbyist like so many of his peers, as he was named to the important Major League Baseball Executive Council. The 1951 season, however, ended as one of the most painful to Dodger fans, as the New York Giants beat Brooklyn in a three-game playoff series to determine the National League Pennant-winner, two games to one. The famous “Shot Heard ‘Round the World” by Bobby Thomson did the Dodgers in and it was once again “Wait ‘Til Next Year.”

O’Malley, though, did not like waiting until next year at any time. Not when he could get something done in the current year. While the search continued for a new home in Brooklyn to remedy Ebbets Field, which opened in 1913, the idea of building a new spring training home stadium very much appealed to O’Malley. Previously, the Dodgers had to split time in Vero Beach and in Miami, about three hours south. O’Malley was going to use Vero Beach not only as a training ground for ballplayers, but for one of his fine architects.

O’Malley’s idea was to use the ballpark as a sort of tryout for Capt. Praeger to design a stadium with unobstructed field views at reasonable costs. Of course, O’Malley had a much grander plan for Brooklyn in mind — a 50,000-seat domed stadium — but the Vero Beach job was just as important to him on a smaller scale. He would learn more about the process of building his own stadium, the pitfalls, the expenses (both known and unforeseen) and the timeline for construction. The type of construction first implemented at Dodgertown would be a precursor to that used by O’Malley years later in Los Angeles. As a fan of the nice, quiet Vero Beach community, O’Malley believed that a long-term relationship with the city would be just right. In fact, it was an area where distractions were kept to an absolute minimum and that suited O’Malley and staff perfectly. If they were fortunate, the players were entertained by walking from the base to the city’s only movie theatre downtown and back. But, he did not want the transient Dodgers to cause any trouble for the community in the two months of training camp.

According to the March 13, 1952 Vero Beach Press Journal, “President O’Malley has consistently stated that he has faith in the future growth of Vero Beach and the surrounding area. He feels that, in the future, Vero Beach and the surrounding area, will be in a position to support a larger exhibition schedule. If a large number of fans turn out and indicate that they want to see big league ball played in Vero Beach, Mr. O’Malley has assured them that they will get it.”

• < Branch Rickey’s Philosophy
• 21-year Lease Signed >

Back to top