Oct. 12, 1962 - Emil “Buzzie” Bavasi, general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, today charged Coach Leo Durocher (right) with being disloyal to Manager Walter Alston (left). He said there was no longer room for both men on the same club. Bavasi based his claim on a statement attributed to Durocher at a Dodger party in which Leo allegedly said: “We would have won the pennant if I had been managing.” Neither Bavasi nor Walter O’Malley, owner of the Dodgers, was present at the party, held several hours after the Dodgers had lost the final playoff game for the National League pennant to San Francisco. Several members of the Dodger staff carried the remark to Bavasi, who is in San Francisco for the World Series. “Leo’s crack was inexcusable and cannot be ignored,” said Bavasi. “Unless he proves to me he didn’t say it, he’s through, as far as I am concerned. I am willing to listen to him. But he’ll have to confront those persons who told me and make liars out of them in front of me.” Bavasi added: “On top of that, I am not at all sure Durocher would have won the pennant. If he knew a way to win it, why didn’t he tell Alston?”
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