Civil War in Iraq; Dodgers Plan Don Drysdale Dolls, March 10, 1959

Posted on March 10, 2009 by lmharnisch
1959_0310_cover
The U.S. plans to keep nuclear bombers airborne at all times in response to the potential threat of a Soviet missile attack.
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A boy is rescued from a near-drowning at Echo Park Lake. 		Duncan_gleason

The Times publishes a lengthy obituary on artist and educator Joe Duncan Gleason (above, a sample of his work). He was evidently a staunch opponent of abstract art and spoke out in a controversy over a statue planned for Parker Center. He wrote several books  and articles. A book on his work is available from John Moran Antique and Fine Art Auctioneers.
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I’m a sucker for the old movie ads ("The Giant Behemoth," above, and "I, Mobster"). Hedda Hopper’s feature on Marjorie Rambeau, at left, also makes for interesting reading. Rambeau talks about her early performing career in Alaska.

1959_0310_sports The Dodgers weren’t keeping quiet about their plans for the Coliseum in 1959.

Danny Goodman, in charge of Dodger concessions, planned to sell at least 20,000 bugles for fans to serenade the Dodgers and their opponents. And to go with the bugles, there would be Dodger hats, Dodger dolls and, well, Dodger everything you can think of.

"There’ll also be Dodger piggy banks, Dodger bath towels, Dodger pillow cases, Dodger bolo ties, Dodger cigarette lighters, bandannas, scarfs, ties, pencil sets, jackets, bracelets, binoculars, money clips, Indian belts, T-shirts, uniforms and caps," Goodman told The Times’ Jeane Hoffman.

Is that all?

Goodman said he heard one fan during the 1958 season using a bugle to play "Charge!" and thought it would be great to build a horn section within the Coliseum. "A toy manufacturer got the brainstorm of mass-producing the bugles, one-foot long, complete with the required four notes and a sheet of instructions on how to play charge," he said. "They cost $1. Now any fan can purchase a bugle and sound off in whatever key he chooses–from A minor to G flat."

Hoffman added that "you could take the noisemaker home and drive your neighbors nuts."

::

I’m not sure how many bugles it would take for the sound to make a difference in the Coliseum, a huge ballpark by baseball standards. My worry would be how a well-placed bugle might feel in my ear or across the top of my head. A low point for me at the Coliseum was a rainy Notre Dame-USC game when an Irish fan celebrating a touchdown jumped up holding his outstretched umbrella. I was sitting right behind him, so his umbrella landed on my head.

Still hurts when I think about it.

–Keith Thursby
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About lmharnisch

I am retired from the Los Angeles Times
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2 Responses to Civil War in Iraq; Dodgers Plan Don Drysdale Dolls, March 10, 1959

  1. David Middlecamp's avatar David Middlecamp says:
    March 10, 2009 at 8:50 am

    Sports Illustrated has a great story this week about how the Dodgers came to move to LA. The owner Walter O’Malley wanted to stay in Brooklyn and build a stadium there but New York administrators obstructed the Dodgers. New York City ended up losing both National League teams to California. O’Malley had no regrets after the warm reception from Southern California fans. The attendance from larger stadiums helped him cement the franchise as a winning operation.

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  2. Unknown's avatar Keith Thursby says:
    March 10, 2009 at 9:05 am

    Thanks David. O’Malley certainly looked for alternatives before heading west. One idea was for a domed stadium in New York. Some of those ideas came to California, too. We had a post awhile back that the Dodger Stadium plans were going to include a dome that could be added later.

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