Walter O'Malley

From SoSH

Overall Career

Walter Francis O'Malley (October 9, 1903 - August 9, 1979) was the longtime owner of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers. O'Malley's tenure with the Dodgers began in 1942 when he was appointed the team's lawyer. He was the team's chief stockholder by 1950 after he purchased the shares of team president Branch Rickey and essentially forced Rickey out, taking over as president himself. O'Malley's Dodgers won the pennant in 1952, 1953, 1955, and 1956, defeating the New York Yankees in the 1955 World Series for their first-ever championship. Largely due to a dispute with New York City Construction Coordinator Robert Moses over the construction of a ballpark to replace Ebbets Field, and partly due to the businessman's knowledge of the untapped market of the West Coast, O'Malley moved the Dodgers to Los Angeles after the 1957 season. New York Giants owner Horace Stoneham moved his team to San Francisco at the same time, after O'Malley talked him out of moving to Minnesota in an effort to have another team nearby (as the next nearest team, the St. Louis Cardinals, play 1,600 miles from Los Angeles).

The Dodgers' success continued out west, winning the 1959, 1963, and 1965 World Series as well as the 1966 National League pennant. They also set attendance records in their new home, a drastic change from the empty seats of Ebbets Field and a testament to O'Malley's knowledge of the market. O'Malley remained the team's president until 1970, when he handed over the position to his son Peter, and served as chairman until his death in 1979.

Awards

• Elected to Hall of Fame by Veterans Committee in 2008, Executive/Pioneer

External Links

• Walter O'Malley - Courtesy of Wikipedia