The Dodgers were a National League powerhouse when they tabbed the relatively unknown Walter Alston as manager on November 24, 1953. Brooklyn was a two-time defending National League champion and had reached the World Series four times in the previous seven seasons.
Despite the success, the team couldn’t get past the mighty New York Yankees club that beat the Dodgers in each of those four Fall Classics.
Alston went from managing Brooklyn’s Triple-A Montreal team in 1953 to world champ just two seasons later when the Dodgers finally vanquished the Yanks in 1955. By the time he retired Alston put together a Hall of Fame career, winning 2,040 games and four World Series crowns with Brooklyn and Los Angeles.
In the collection is this handwritten letter from Alston written before he had managed a single day in the Major Leagues. Dated just 13 days after his hiring, the thank-you letter acknowledges the well wishes of a fan faithful to the Dodgers.
The skipper has included his nickname in signing Walter “Smokey” Alston at the bottom. Letters from before Alston’s managerial debut rarely surface.