Found on EBay – Dodgers

This Dodger pennant – made after the 1959 World Series but before the opening of Dodger Stadium – has been listed on EBay. Bidding starts at $9.99.

Dodgers Moving to KFI

Nov. 21, 1959 This was a very small story that turned into a big deal. The Dodgers were moving on the radio from KMPC to KFI for the 1960 season. The significance? Gene Autry's company owned KMPC and when the Dodgers left, he looked for something to fill in the large gaps (and hopefully big ratings). When the American League decided to expand beginning in 1961, KMPC wanted the rights to broadcast the new team that would play in Los Angeles. Of course, Autry got a lot more than that, becoming the owner of the Los Angeles Angels. So would the Angels not have been born had the Dodgers stayed on KMPC? --Keith Thursby

Plane Crash Kills 42

Nov. 17, 1959: Investigators speculate on whether a bomb exploded on a National Airlines DC-7B that crashed in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 42 people. Ultimately, no cause was ever determined. ... And  Gene Sherman reports on border drug traffic.   Jack Smith writes: "It is easy enough to find statistics suggesting that we are soft -- mentally, physically and morally. More people are in hospitals. More people are swallowing pills. More people are in jails. More people have tics and syndromes. The New York Yankees are falling apart and the heavyweight champion of the world is a Swede." Robert R. Kirsch says John Gosling’s “Ghost Squad” is “a must for every true crime buff.” ”Mother, May I Go Steady?”

Nov. 17, 1959 Jeane Hoffman had a typically interesting story about all the wannabe teams hovering around Los Angeles. The Chargers—yes, they started in L.A.—were the closest to reality. Then there were the Stars (baseball) and Jets (basketball), teams that had to overcome several factors to become real franchises. The Chargers looked like the real deal, heading to the Coliseum in 1960. "We get fourth choice in Coliseum dates but that's enough for seven home games," said Tom Eddy, assistant to Barron Hilton. The Stars were lined up with names like Branch Rickey as president of the Continental League and Mark Scott, host of TV's "Home Run Derby," as team vice president. But where to play if they really got going? Hoffman said the Stars were talking to Walter O'Malley about playing in the Dodgers' yet to be built ballpark "but if he doesn't let them in they'll have to go to Orange County—or to court." As for the Jets, who apparently had Bing Crosby involved, they were confident that an L.A. franchise would come their way. Said Len Corbosiero, "If we can't get a new franchise, we hope to move out an established team." --Keith Thursby

Once Around the Radio Dial – 1969

Nov. 16, 1969 One of the true pleasures of contributing to The Daily Mirror is reading old columns by Don Page, The Times' longtime radio critic. I regularly check his work, these days for 1959 and '69. Some things change—by 1969 he no longer wondered whether rock stations will survive or be the end of radio. But there are some constants, such as complaining about too many commercials, too many boring stations and too many stations that sound too similar. Seems to me Page complained a lot and I like that. A reader knew how he felt. No matter the subject, it's fun to read names and stations that I remember. From Vin Scully to KMET, radio was a big part of growing up in Southern California. This column was a collection of notes as Page bounced around the dial. Some of my favorites: --Most disc jockeys have nothing to say. --KHJ's disc jockeys are the best hard-rock voices in captivity but KRLA's staff has more talent. --KPFK-FM is becoming the Free Press of the airwaves. --XERB sounds like a SigAlert with the blues section. --Some of KFWB's newsmen continue to mangle the names of California cities, although the all-news outlet is a quality operation. For me, radio in 1969 was Scully and the Dodgers, Dick Enberg and the Angels and KRLA (I'd switch to KMET in a couple of years). How about you? --Keith Thursby

Dodgers Don't Expect Any Bargains

Nov. 10, 1959 The Dodgers were feeling generous. Frank Finch reported on the team's prospects during the interleague trading period and found Vice President Buzzie Bavasi talking about what teams he could help. "With that short porch in left field at Fenway Park, Boston could use a right-handed hitter. And I think we could help Washington and Kansas City too. Whether they could help us again is something else again," Bavasi said. What could lousy teams like Washington and Kansas City provide the Dodgers? Maybe a place to dump spare parts, since Finch noted the world champion Dodgers suddenly appeared loaded with plenty of excess outfielders and pitchers. -- Keith Thursby

Dodgers Deliver Plans for Stadium

Nov. 5, 1959: An artist’s concept of Dodger Stadium. Look at all the parking!

"We have submitted plans for what we believe will be the most beautiful sports stadium in the world, in keeping with the best interest of the community," Walter O'Malley says.

Richard Nixon goes golfing with, from left, Bernard Weinberg, Danny Kaye, Eric Monti and Danny Thomas.

Vice President Richard Nixon buys neckties and plays golf. The Times puts its Team Nixon in high gear.

Student reporters are thrilled to cover the vice president. The Times truly went to extremes to boost Nixon. Notice the artwork on the ad for “The Untouchables.” Truly remarkable for the 1950s.

Jeane Hoffman interviews firefighter Richard Hunt about Olympic skating.

L.A. County Seeks to Curb Smog

Oct. 24, 1959: Smog continues to blight Los Angeles. City Hall is barely visible from Temple and Hill streets. And Walter O'Malley promises that Dodger Stadium will be dignified.

Fidel Castro Survives Assassination Attempt

Oct. 23, 1959: The courts refuse to halt the steel strike ... And Shostakovich is coming. Farah Dibah, on a shopping trip to Paris, refuses to confirm reports that she is engaged to marry the shah of Iran. Harper Poulson, an "unsuccessful writer but a fairly successful machinist," describes his disillusionment with the Communist Party. Paul Zimmerman writes about the problems Rome faces in preparing for the 1960 Olympics.

A Gallup Poll finds that most Republican county chairmen prefer Vice President Richard Nixon over New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller, Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater and U.N. Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge in the 1960 presidential race.

Delay for Caryl Chessman

Oct. 22, 1959: President Eisenhower transfers German rocket scientists led by Wernher von Braun from Army jurisdiction to NASA.

Luau anyone? The Dodgers submitted a map for their Chavez Ravine ballpark and some of the features were downright headline grabbers. Proposed were a sit-down restaurant, a quick service restaurant, a carwash and automotive center. And a group-luau restaurant. The City Council quickly moved to delay the whole matter for further study. The city attorney said the automotive center was at the request of traffic and police officials who wanted something nearby to handle stalled cars and overheated engines. "We know that the confusion about the map is very definitely our responsibility," Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley said in The Times Oct. 24. "The baseball stadium will be set in a tastefully landscaped park and of course will be completely without any shoddy atmosphere or commercialism. This is what we have pledged and what we have always intended to build." Personally, I would have loved the luau. But the gas station certainly is part of the Dodger Stadium landscape and without it, there never would have been this classic commercial with Tom Lasorda taking Vin Scully out of the game. --Keith Thursby

President Asks Court to Halt Steel Strike

Oct. 20, 1959: No clemency for Caryl Chessman, governor says ... Calling it a sad day for America, President Eisenhower tells the Justice Department to seek a federal injunction to halt a strike by the United Steelworkers of America.

“Created 2-Headed Dog” is perhaps the best kicker I have ever seen. Security at Errol Flynn's funeral is so tight that film comedian Jack Oakie is barred.  Flynn was buried next to a statue of a woman titled "Flowers of Remembrance." One mourner says "Errol would have liked having a beautiful woman watch over him night and day. Hollywood is “a little too rough,” so Beverly Aadland, Errol Flynn’s girlfriend, is staying with attorney Melvin Belli in San Francisco ...

Jack Smith on men's fashions.

The Dodgers won yet another legal round in their fight to build a new ballpark in Chavez Ravine as the U.S. Supreme Court dismissed three appeals on the legality of deeding the area to the ballclub. But don't think the fighting was over. John Holland, a City Councilman who had long opposed the Dodgers moving to Chavez Ravine, said the council "must respect this contract but in areas where we are allowed to use our own judgment, I may still register my opposition to these plans." In other words, stay tuned. The Times' Jeane Hoffman said construction crews hoped to finish leveling the dirt for the ballpark by January. The paper's coverage included a vision of what Dodger Stadium was expected to look like once completed and a photo of earth movers and bulldozers working in Chavez Ravine. One house can still be seen. --Keith Thursby