O’Malley to be Dodgers’ 15th Ring of Honor at Alumni Weekend Aug 9 – 11
WALTER O’MALLEY seated in his office on the Club Level at Dodger Stadium, which he designed, privately financed and built. During his presidency, the Dodgers won four World Championships. O’Malley will become the 15th person on the Dodgers’ Ring of Honor on Aug. 10.
Photo courtesy walteromalley.com
The late Walter F. O’Malley (1903-1979), who was a longtime resident of Hancock Park and who brought major league baseball to the West Coast, will become the 15th person recognized on the Ring of Honor at Dodger Stadium.
The recognition ceremony will take place on Sat., Aug. 10, before the Dodgers’ 6:10 p.m. game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Peter O’Malley, Dodgers president from 1970 to 1998, will accept the honor on his father’s behalf.
The elder O’Malley created a new home for baseball, Dodger Stadium, after bringing the team from Brooklyn to Los Angeles.
He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008, after his death.
O’Malley will be the team’s 15th member to join its Ring of Honor. The Ring of Honor can be seen down the left-field line at Chavez Ravine and includes all retired player numbers in Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers franchise history, as well as managers Walter Alston and Tommy Lasorda and legendary broadcasters Vin Scully and Jaime Jarrín.
O’Malley became a part-owner of the Dodgers in 1947, and his family owned the team until 1998.
When he died, O’Malley was survived by his son, Peter, a daughter, Terry Seidler, and 12 grandchildren. His wife, Kay, had predeceased Walter in July of 1979.
The elder O’Malley joined the Dodgers in 1943 as vice president and legal counsel before becoming a co-owner the following year and majority owner in 1950, according to the official Walter O’Malley website, walteromalley.com.
The Dodgers would go on to win four National League pennants the next six seasons and, in 1955, their first World Series. They would go on to win three more World Series within their first eight years in Los Angeles.
O’Malley directed the building of Dodger Stadium after the Dodgers made their legendary and controversial move to the West Coast from Brooklyn.
“Designing, financing and building a stadium for the Dodgers was my dad’s goal for many years,” said Peter O’Malley on the walteromalley.com website. “After 62 seasons, he would be very happy with how Dodger Stadium accommodates millions of fans today thanks to the enhancements by current ownership.”
Dodgers Alumni Weekend will take place Fri., Aug. 9, through Sun., Aug 11, at Dodger Stadium. Visit dodgers.com.
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