SPECIAL REPORT: Former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley wanted to put an apartment atop Dodgers Stadium

Extra! Extra! A special edition story from us here at DE- a bit of Los Angeles Dodgers history for you as both the Dodgers and the Yankees duke it out in the World Series.

Penthouse > Dugout.

Did you know that former Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley was good friends with another Walt, Walt Disney!

The two Walts admired each other for what each was known for. As the story goes, O’Malley admired Disney for the attempt at creating an amazing guest experience with Disneyland, and Disney returned that admiration for O’Malley and his desire to create a storied sports venue for his then-Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team.

In a letter to O’Malley dated 1958, Disney seemed fascinated by the stadium and asked O’Malley to keep him updated about the “Chavez Ravine project.” 

When Dodgers Stadium finally opened and the team made the official move from New York to California in 1962, O’Malley did follow up with a letter to Disney and invited him over, asking “if you’d go over the layout with me, I’d be delighted to get your reactions, good or bad.”

Disney ended up taking up O’Malley’s invitation to visit. While no record of specifically when or what they discussed has been recorded, a rep for the Dodgers did mention to us that one thing that O’Malley was inspired by Disney was his personal apartment inside Disneyland above the Main Street U.S.A. firehouse.

O’Malley wanted to create something similar to that for himself, his wife Katherine, and their kids. The owners “Penthouse” apartment was supposed to be located at the very top of Dodgers Stadium where the nosebleed seats are today at center field, but where the best view of the whole stadium and surrounding scenic L.A. area.

While those plans for the penthouse apartment never came to fruition, the infrastructure for it can still be seen with the awning-like fins that shade the top part of the stadium today.

It’s very cool to learn that two of Los Angeles’ biggest dreamers ended up building their own “kingdoms” to the benefit of all who visit.

Love DisneyExaminer? Remember to tell your circles about us, too!