The Michigan Daily-Friday, August 10, 1979-Page 15
LA OWNER BROUGHT MAJORS WEST
Baseball pioneer O'Malley dead
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Walter
O'Malley, one of baseball's most
powerful owners whose 1958 move from
Brooklyn with the Dodgers began the
westward expansion of pro sports, died
yesterday of heart failure. He was 75.
O'Malley had been ill for some time
and had been hospitalized at the Mayo
Clinic in Rochester, Minn., since June
28. He died there early yesterday mor-
ning at Methodist Hospital Minn.
O'Malley, whose death followed that
of his wife, Kay, by four weeks, had lit-
tle to do with the running of the club for
several years, although he had built the
club into one of the richest in sports.
SURVIVORS INCLUDE O'Malley's
son, Peter, now president of the
Dodgers.
"Walter O'Malley was as great an
executive talent as I have seen or think
I am apt to see,"said Baseball Com-
missioner Bowie Kuhn. "While baseball
was his medium, his skills would have
flourished in any walk of life. He was
unfailing in his support of the com-
missioner's office and a powerful ally
for the good of the game.
"His unique ability, charm and wit
are not replaceable. He was my per-
sonal friend. To his children, Peter and
Terry, and his host of grandchildren,
we in professional baseball send our
heart-felt sympathy."
O'MALLEY, A LAWYER, became
president of the Dodgers in 1950 and
moved the franchise from Booklyn to
Los Angeles eight years later, giving
the West Coast its first major league
baseball team. Other sports-basket-
ball and hockey-later followed.
It was a shrewd move. The Dodgers
have been one of baseball's richest
franchises for years and the team drew
an all-time record 3.3 million fans in
1978, breaking its own record.
Since 1950, the Dodgers have won 10
National League pennants and four
World Series.
"Baseball has lost a great man and I
have lost a great friend," said National
League President Charles Feeney.
"Walter O'Malley over a period of a
year did more good for professional
baseball than any other one man. He
will be sorely missed by the sport, all
his friends, and in particular, it is a
personal loss for me."
Walter Alston, manager of the
Dodgers for 24 years until he retired at
the end of the 1976 season, said,
"Baseball's going to miss a great man.
"He was not only my boss, but my
friend," said Alston, reached by phone
at his. Darrtown, Ohio, home. "He
treated me great throughout my
career."
Munson's willfiled
CANTON, Ohio-New York Yankee catcher Thurman Munson, killed
in a plane crash, signed a simple will last April, leaving his entire estate to
his family, but he had planned to substitute a much more detailed one when
the baseball season ended, his lawyer said.
The will was filed yesterday in Stark County Probate Court.
An inventory of the estate and list of assets is required by law to be filed
within 30 days, but Arnold Shifman, Munson's attorney, said he will ask for
an extension because "there's too much involved. It will probably take a
couple of weeks just to puta timetable together."
Shifman said the will signed by Munson on April 3 was meant as in in-
terim will.
Munson, 32, was killed last Thursday when his private plane crashed
near the Akron-Canton Airport.
'The will stipulates that Munson's wife, Diana, take over management of
his business interests. Sharing in the estate are his three children, Tracy, 9;
Kelly, 7, and Michael, 4.
Although the value of his estate has not been officially determined, it
probably will exceed $1 million. Munson reportedly was making $420,000 a
year with the Yankees, and had two years left on his guaranteed contract.
Alzado: Stay or sway?
DENVER-That familiar story of an athlete who wants more money
from his employer has taken on a strange new twist.
Lyle Alzado, the Denver Broncos' All-Pro defensive end, isn't saying
"pay me or trade me," nor is he threatening to retire from the game to
devote more time to his family and business.
Alzado says if he doesn't get more money from the Broncos, he'sll
change sports-and become a professional boxer.
There were no signs yesterday of resolving the dispute, which began two
days earlier when Alzado's new agent, Greg Campbell, approached Bronco
general manager Fred Gehrke with a request that Alzado's contract, which
has two years to run, be renegotiated.
"We're not bluffing," Campbell said yesterday afternoon. "Unless this
is settled with the Broncos in a very short time, we're going to New York to
sign a contract for Alzado to box."
Gehrke, however, flatly refused to rewrite Alzado's contract, and the
situation remains at a stalemate.
I-
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procrastinated-between classes and ex'cram'-inations-checking out any
medical problems, now is the time to use our services.
Durin the summer months our doctors aren't scheduled days in advance, and
walk-In patients don't encounter those familiar long lines.
Try and ovoid walking in between the hours of 11:30 and 1:30 when we have
less than our full force of physicians on duty. And an appointment always helps.
Have a question or problem about Health Service? Call information:
7S4-832O
Fight promoter blasts
ap arthed ractices
CAPETOWN (AP) - American rights activist, because it is to be staged
boxing promoter Bob Arum accused the in the normally segregated Loftus Ver-
South African government yesterday of sfeld rugby stadium.
lying to him and the world about its Arum previously dismissed
plans to end apartheid in sport. Jackson's protests of the fight, vowing
"They are selling a lot of hooey to the it would go ahead. He pointed out that
world," said Arum, here to prepare for the stadium would be integrated for the
the Oct. 20 World Boxing Association fight, and earlier this week he said the
heavyweight title fight between black South African government had-told him
American John Tate and white South all vestiges of apartheid in sport would
African Gerrie Coetzee. soon vanish.
The controversy erupted following a Arum's claim was subsequently
denial by South African Sports Minister denied by Janson, and Arum said
Punt Janson that he had promised yesterday that Janson had duped him.
Arum apartheid (racial segregation) "The Rev. Jesse Jackson is right and I
would soon be eliminated from sports was wrong," added the New York-
here. based promoter.
The fight has drawn strong opposition He also said the fight would go on but
from blacks here and from the Rev. that it would be the last one he will
Jesse Jackson, a Chicago-based civil promote here.
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