Nixon Dedicates Sports Arena

July 5, 1959: Vice President Richard Nixon waves during the dedication of the Sports Arena.

It has been a long time since anyone referred to the Los Angeles Sports Arena as a "marvel of modern design." But that was the Mirror-News' view in an editorial celebrating the arena's dedication. This would be a sports arena without a team--the Lakers were still a part of the city's future. Shoot, people were still getting used to having the Dodgers in town. Vice President Richard Nixon was the keynote speaker, mixing sports metaphors with a preview of the stump speak he'd use in his run for the presidency. The Times' story included Nixon's three rules for participants in all sports: "No. 1: Never quit, no matter how tough the going. No. 2: The best defense is a good offense. No. 3: Play to win. Don't play a defensive game." He was talking about sports, but sure sounded a lot like his brand of politics too. Having Nixon speak at the dedication of an arena that would host the Democratic National Convention was a nice piece of irony. Nixon said the convention "may turn out to be the battle of the century." --Keith Thursby

City Hall Protest Over Chavez Ravine Evictions, April 14, 1959

Chavez Ravine residents threatened with eviction survived another day in their homes. The Times published a short story with a terrible lead on the planned evictions to allow construction of Dodger Stadium: "It was the last of the ninth inning for a lot of people in Chavez Ravine yesterday and the bases were loaded with police and sheriff's deputies waiting to put them out of their homes." Except the 9 a.m. deadline came and went without any action by police. Guess the dispute went into extra innings.  I've been consistently disappointed by how little I find in the old issues about Chavez Ravine's residents. There are plenty of stories about building Dodger Stadium and the political battles but very little about the people who were trying to stay. This story did mention how the $10,050 given one resident for two lots was less than the property's value. The paper used more space to describe how one Chavez Ravine resident "hurled two placards" at Mayor Norris Poulson during a City Hall ceremony for the Dodgers. There will be a lot more on this story in the coming weeks. --Keith Thursby

Mayor's Aide Guilty of Selling Jobs, March 24, 1939

A line of Nazi tanks crosses into Czechoslovakia.

Head of Federal Reserve calls for a balanced budget. Joseph Shaw, brother former Mayor Frank Shaw, is convicted on 63 counts of selling jobs and promotions in the Los Angeles police and fire departments.  Jurors also convicted William H. Cormack, a Civil Service commissioner. At the federal prison on Terminal Island, Chicago gangster Al Capone has begun attending church services, says the Rev. Silas A. Thweatt, pastor of First Baptist Church of San Pedro. Hungarian troops fight the Nazis over a piece of Czechoslovakia and the Soviets align with France and Britain against Germany.

"The future will prove that the case ... is nothing more or less than a political frame-up," former Mayor Shaw says.  George Brent replaces Humphrey Bogart in "The Old Maid."

Clifford McBride's "Napoleon and Uncle Elby" isn't one of my favorites, but it's certainly drawn well. These old-time sportswriters are a caution. They can't say "there was no one on base." Instead it's "the hassocks were barren of pedestrians."

Jerry Lewis Plays First Base for Dodgers, January 18, 1959

I'm sure there's a joke here someplace.

The Times' political power broker Kyle Palmer writes a glowing piece about biographies of Eisenhower and Nixon.    On the comics page, Stephen F. Austin straightens out some pesky Indians and Delilah gets the drop on Samson.

Rosalind Wyman was a bright, young politician and a driving force in bringing the Dodgers to Los Angeles. The paper profiled the City Council member as a Times woman of the year, noting brightly that "she is quite a woman." "The dark-haired, more-green-than-brown-eyed young woman ... wants a first-class zoo for the city, more cultural assets and greater improvements in the central district," wrote Cordell Hicks. Wyman put it this way: "A city must grow or stand still. Los Angeles is growing. An opera house in a MUST. Those who appreciate opera should have it. ... I like football better than baseball, too, but that does not mean to me that there should not be an opera house or a Dodger team." --Keith Thursby

George Cukor prepares to direct his first Western with Sophia Loren and Steve Forrest. UCLA beats USC, 65-63 at the Pan-Pacific.

Thousands in Los Angeles pray for peace, January 14, 1939

About 4,000 worshipers attend a Perpetual Novena for Our Sorrowful Mother at St. Vibiana's Cathedral. People knelt in the aisles, in the doorways and outside praying for peace and for relief of the poor, The Times says.

County Supervisor Roger W. Jessup sends a telegram to Washington seeking help in keeping welfare recipients from moving to California. Above, the 1938 Los Angeles County Grand Jury retires and urges the incoming panel to continue investigating corruption in Los Angeles. Charles C. Gerst, 59, a retired operator of an orange juice stand, commits suicide by jumping from the fire escape while visiting his physician at 6253 Hollywood Blvd. Anne Morrow Lindbergh's "Listen! The Wind" leads the bestseller list for nonfiction ... and Independent florists complain to Dist. Atty. Buron Fitts about a protection racket. At left, indecency at the burlesque house. RKO plans more lavish films for Carole Lombard and Claudette Colbert. Good seating available for the Pro Bowl at Wrigley Field!

Paul Coates -- Mikoyan interview, January 13, 1959

Interview With Coates Russian Stars on TV Show By Paul V. Coates, Mirror News Columnist When President Eisenhower sits down with Soviet Deputy Premier Anastas Ivanovich Mikoyan on Saturday to plan give-and-take with West Berlin and Germany, it'll be Ike who'll have to do the giving. This, Mikoyan made clear to me in an exclusive interview last night. "We have advanced our proposals," the traveling trouble-shooter from the Kremlin said. "Now it is up to your side." About West Berlin The latest Russian "solution" to the current tensions that West Berlin be made an unarmed "free" city until the eastern and western divisions are united, that Red China should have a voice in any final decision and that all foreign troops should be removed within one year. "Do you think that the Berlin dispute could ignite a war between your country and mine?" I asked. Quick Reply The deputy premier threw back an immediate answer. "We," he stressed, "do not want any war." Mikoyan sandwiched his stern warning to the White House between small talk which included the revelation that his daughter-in-law, Zena, was one of theMoiseyey ballet troupe which so successfully visited the United States last year, and a confession that he was becoming slightly weary of the zealous protection offered him by our police and State Department on his current national barnstorming tour. Previous U.S. Tour "I spent two months traveling around the United States in 1936," he pointed out during our KTTV interview last night. "Your State Department sent one very fine representative to accompany me. "This time," he continued, "let me just say that I would certainly enjoy having a cocktail with each of these men who are assigned to me, individually. "But," he added, "I prefer to travel alone." The deputy premier arrived at the studio for his U.S. television debut in a roaring caravan heavily guarded by Los Angeles police and federal agents. His main concern before air time was what type of commercial would be inserted in the program. Not quite understanding, I explained that they'd probably be automobiles, rugs, food -- some similar products. "I can check and tell you exactly," I said. An aide in the party shrugged. "What we mean," he said, questioningly, "there will be no political advertisements?" Second to Khrushchev Mikoyan also made the suggestion that no questions be asked pertaining to his position as the USSR's No. 2 citizen. "To answer that would put me in the position of being immodest," he explained. But on camera, he was smiling and ready with glib replies. Through his official interpreter, Oleg Troyanovski, son of the Soviet Union's World War II ambassador to the United States, he touched on his childhood, "humble" background, lack of a college education and favorable impression of the American "common man." "I have found that the mass of people this time are as friendly to our country as they were the first time I visited," he said. "The American people want peace." Roy Rogers and Dale Evans adopt a Korean orphan and the U.S. is investigating the Dodgers. He was favorably impressed by Sen. Humphrey's recent visit to Moscow; he acknowledged U.S. progress in building roads and bridges, and in our industrial plants and housing; and he felt -- a feeling which he's been most vocal on since his arrival here -- that more trade between the United States and Russia could quickly stimulate a better relationship. "There Is No God" Only once did the "goodwill" ambassador permit his careful guard to relax. I asked him: "As a former seminary student, do you feel that Marx was right in saying that religion is the opiate of the people?" "I do," he answered immediately. "At the time of the revolution, I became convinced that there is no God. "I did it in spite of what my teachers tried to tell me." When the television interview was finished, Mikoyan seemed particularly anxious to know if I had been pleased with it. Interview Success "Tell him," I told the interpreter, "that I thought it was a very successful interview, and that I certainly am pleased with it." The interpreter translated my remark to the deputy premier. Fingering the gold star on his lapel --  a medal which he received in World War II for his efforts "in supplying the front" -- he considered it. Then he said something in Russian toTroyanovski.  Russian Adieu "Mr. Mikoyan thanks you," the interpreter told me. "But he would like to know if you are just saying this to be kind, or if you really mean it." "Please tell the deputy premier," I replied, "that I really mean it. I don't say things that I don't mean just to be nice." The information was duly reported to Mr. Mikoyan. He received it, beamed, got up, shook my hand and said -- I guess -- the Russian equivalent of "Good night."

Voices -- Richard Bergholz

Here's a story by legendary Times political reporter Dick Bergholz, who died in 2000. From his obituary: When Richard Nixon lost his race for California governor and delivered his famous promise, “You won’t have Nixon to kick around anymore,” every reporter in the room knew who “you” was. It was Richard Bergholz. Read more >>>

Stocks suffer worst day in 19 months; Rams rehire Allen, January 7, 1969

A 15-point drop in the Dow is Page 1 news in 1969. I wonder what they would think of today's economic meltdown. Today in Baby Boomer nostalgia: Gordon Lightfoot makes his debut in Los Angeles.

It took the Rams 12 days to decide they really didn't want to fire Coach George Allen. Owner Dan Reeves, who fired Allen over what he called a personality conflict, took it all back. Allen had been supported by many of his players, who held a news conference to claim they would retire if someone else was coaching the Rams. That's an unusual step, but Reeves said he wasn't swayed by unhappy players or fans. The Times ran daily updates on the coaching search. As it became clear that Allen was still in the picture, the stories got a little strange. There was a planned meeting between the players and Reeves, there was a four-hour meeting between Allen and Reeves and there was speculation over Allen's replacement. USC Coach John McKay and former Green Bay Coach Vince Lombardi were two names mentioned. Even when Allen was rehired, Reeves said two other coaches had been considered along with the former/current Ram coach. On Jan. 5, Bob Oates wrote a thorough analysis of the problems between coach and owner: "Quite unintentionally, Allen has been destroying what Reeves built--and therefore what Reeves is." Leave it to Jim Murray to capture the weirdness of it all. Here's part of his column on the day after Allen was rehired/unfired. "The announcement ceremony had all the warmth of the surrender signing on the battleship Missouri. The whole thing was as dignified as an axe murder. I have seen more smiles in a police lineup." --Keith Thursby

Fierce fighting in Cuba, Los Angeles Open begins, January 3, 1959

The Soviets are winning the space race and communism establishes a foothold at America's doorstep. These were worrisome times for the nation.

Cheryl Crane visits Lana Turner. "Li'l Abner," "Rick O'Shay" and "Moon Mullins." Moral Re-Armament and the Young Americans for Freedom were two major institutions for conservative Baby Boomers. (In college, many YAFers discovered they liked to smoke dope and became Libertarians). Johnny Bulla of Phoenix leads the L.A. Open. Now playing: "Some Came Running." America in the days before the Gun Control Act of 1968--although you can still go into Big 5 and buy antique military rifles. ($9.98 in 1959 is $70.26 USD 2007 vs. $89 today for a M91/30 Russian Mosin Nagant in 7.62 millimeter).

Happy New Year, 1959!

The rest of the world may peer into a darkened crystal ball, but at the Daily Mirror, we know what the future has to bring. In 1959, Los Angeles won the series and we lost Errol Flynn and Raymond Chandler. Nikita Khrushchev paid us a call. Schoolchildren designed 50-star flags to welcome Hawaii and Alaska into the U.S. And a municipal judge named David Williams wonders why the LAPD mostly arrests African Americans for gambling; 5,210 blacks compared with 482 whites for 1958. It's going to be quite a year--stay tuned!    Flynn discusses his 1959 trip to Cuba. Raymond Chandler's obit runs on Page 4 of The Times. Baby Boomers rotted their minds with "Clutch Cargo." While their parents listened to Miles Davis--or Arthur Godfrey.  And Jack Kerouac turned up on Steve Allen's TV show.