Category Archives: Keith Thursby

May 7, 1959: Dodgers Honor Roy Campanella as Coliseum Crowd Sets Record

Posted on May 7, 2019 by lmharnisch

Keith Thursby has the story of Roy Campanella being honored in a ceremony during an exhibition game at the Coliseum between the Dodgers and Yankees. The game raised nearly $60,000 for the former Dodger catcher, who was partially paralyzed in … Continue reading →

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Feb. 4, 1959: Airliner With 72 Aboard Plunges Into East River; Dodgers Sign Contracts

Posted on February 4, 2019 by lmharnisch

Feb. 4, 1959: Plane crashes were much more common 60 years ago. The late Eric Malnic, who specialized in covering them for the L.A. Times, once noted that “we haven’t had a big plane crash in years.” In sports, Wally … Continue reading →

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Feb. 1, 1959: Art Aragon Suspected of Fixing Fight

Posted on February 4, 2019 by lmharnisch

Feb. 1, 1959: Art Aragon was suspected of winning a fight too easily, and Keith Thursby has the story.. This post originally appeared on latimes.com in 2009 and is available via Archive.org.

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Jan. 24, 1969: Ghosts of Wrigley Field

Posted on January 24, 2019 by lmharnisch

Keith Thursby says: John Hall wrote a couple of columns bidding farewell to Los Angeles’ Wrigley Field. “It was another time, another place. It was Wrigley Field, 1925-1969, may it rest in peace. The demolition crews are at work and … Continue reading →

Posted in 1969, Baseball, Keith Thursby, Sports | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Jan. 22, 1969: Lee Meyers Hoping for a Comeback With the Royals

Posted on January 22, 2019 by lmharnisch

Keith Thursby has the story of baseball player Lee Meyers, who was was making a comeback, hoping to get a job with the first-year Kansas City Royals. Meyers was married to Mamie Van Doren (1966-1969).. Note: This post originally appeared … Continue reading →

Posted in 1969, Baseball, Keith Thursby | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Jan. 22, 1969: Musial and Campanella Elected to Hall of Fame

Posted on January 22, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 22, 1969: Stan Musial and Roy Campanella are voted into baseball’s Hall of Fame. Campanella became only the second black player in the Hall of Fame, after Jackie Robinson. This post originally appeared on latimes.com in 2009 and is … Continue reading →

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Jan. 22, 1959: Rams Draft Rafer Johnson

Posted on January 22, 2019 by lmharnisch

Keith Thursby writes: The Rams picked a real winner in the NFL annual draft. Rafer Johnson would become world famous in 1960 by winning the gold medal in the decathlon at the Rome Olympics. He already held the world record … Continue reading →

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Jan. 22, 1959: ‘Our Gang’ Star Carl ‘Alfalfa’ Switzer Dies in Fight Over $50

Posted on January 22, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 22, 1959: Carl ‘Alfalfa’ Switzer is shot to death in a fight with Moses Samuel Stiltz. According to police, Switzer borrowed a dog belonging to Stiltz, then lost the dog. Switzer paid $50 for the return of Stiltz’s dog. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, Baseball, Crime and Courts, Dodgers, Film, Hollywood, Keith Thursby, LAPD, Obituaries | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Jan. 18, 1959: Jerry Lewis Plays First Base for the Dodgers

Posted on January 18, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 18, 1959: OK, it was a benefit game. But still.. Keith Thursby writes: 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 … Continue reading →

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Jan. 17, 1959: Lakers Back Elgin Baylor in Refusing to Stay at Segregated Hotel

Posted on January 17, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 17, 1959: Keith Thursby has the story of the Minneapolis Lakers moving out of a hotel in Charleston, W.Va., after operators refused to give a room to rookie Elgin Baylor and two other black players. Baylor boycotted the game, … Continue reading →

Posted in 1959, African Americans, Keith Thursby, Sports | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Jan. 14, 1959: State Supreme Court Upholds L.A.’s Deal for Dodger Stadium

Posted on January 14, 2019 by lmharnisch

Keith Thursby writes: The state Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of the Dodgers and City Hall, moving plans for a baseball stadium in Chavez Ravine one huge step closer to reality. The Times’ coverage was breathless, no surprise since … Continue reading →

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Voices: Recalling Times Sports Columnist Ned Cronin

Posted on January 13, 2019 by lmharnisch

Keith Thursby writes: Ned Cronin was a columnist at The Times until his death in 1958 and his work has been featured often in the Daily Mirror. His son, Jerry, recently discovered the blog and we started an e-mail conversation. … Continue reading →

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Jan. 11, 1959: ‘Who Shot Duke Snider?’

Posted on January 11, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 11, 1959: Keith Thursby looks at the fledgling acting career of Duke Snider. If it worked for Chuck Connors…. The entire piece appeared on latimes.com in 2009 and is available at Archive.org..

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Jan. 10, 1959: Dodgers Move Outfield Fence

Posted on January 10, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 10, 1959: The Dodgers are playing in the Coliseum and decide to cut the distance to the outfield fence. It was a victory for Duke Snider, Keith Thursby writes. The post originally appeared on latimes.com in 2009 and is … Continue reading →

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Jan. 7, 1969: Stocks suffer worst day in 19 months; Rams rehire Allen

Posted on January 7, 2019 by lmharnisch

Jan. 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 meltdowns.. Also: Gordon Lightfoot makes his debut in Los Angeles and Keith Thursby on the Rams … Continue reading →

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Jan. 2, 1969: College Student Home on Vacation Killed, Dumped Off Mulholland

Posted on January 2, 2019 by lmharnisch

This is another story that I don’t remember at all. The original post is here at Archive.org. The killing of Marina Elizabeth Habe remains unsolved (I see that I garbled her name in the original post). See also Keith Thursby’s … Continue reading →

Posted in 1969, Cold Cases, Crime and Courts, Homicide, Keith Thursby | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Keith Thursby: Dodgers Wrap It Up at the Coliseum

Posted on September 21, 2011 by lmharnisch

Sept. 21, 1961 The Dodgers ended their fourth and final season in the Coliseum with a 3-2, 13-inning victory over the Chicago Cubs. According to the Times’ coverage before and after the game, the Dodgers left their first Los Angeles … Continue reading →

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