Sept. 29, 1964 - Walter Alston (pictured with Vin Scully) was rehired today as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the 12th consecutive season and absolved of blame for the “terrible” season in which the world champions slumped from first place to the second division.
In keeping with Dodger policy, Alston received a one-year contract.
Buzzie Bavasi, general manager of the team and a staunch Alston supporter, said the announcement was made because there had been “too many rumors” about Alston being dismissed.
“We certainly don’t blame Alston for the terrible job the team did this year,” said Bavasi. “He’s still our man and will continue to be until told differently.”
Bavasi indicated that Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale were not for sale under any circumstances. But both Alston and Bavasi indicated the team would probably deal for improved hitting strength.
Alston, 52, won a vote of confidence from the Dodgers’ owner, Walter O’Malley, for the second time since the baseball club moved to Los Angeles from Brooklyn. The only other occasion the Dodgers rehired a manager with the season in progress was in 1958, when the team also finished seventh.
Alston and the Dodgers came back the following year to win the World Series from Chicago.
The taciturn field manager took over the Dodgers from Charlie Dressen in 1954 and has been in charge ever since.
In every year except those in which he won World Series — 1955, 1959, and 1963 — Alston has been the target of speculation that he was on the way out. Each time, he won the support of O’Malley and Bavasi.
Alston is expected to receive $50,000 in 1965, although his salary was not revealed.
The Dodgers’ slump this year rates as one of the biggest collapses in baseball history.
But injuries that sidelined Johnny Podres and kept Koufax out of action more than a month hurt the club.
Slumps suffered by Tommy Davis, whose average dropped 50 points from his league-leading average of 1963, Frank Howard, and Jim Gilliam, also hurt the club, which never was in serious contention for the pennant.
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