Billy DeLury, an employee of the Brooklyn Dodgers — and then the Los Angeles Dodgers –since 1950, died at his home Saturday, just two days before what would have been his 63rd opening day with the organization.
He was 81, and other than his military service in 1957 and ’58, had never worked for anyone other than the Dodgers.
“I was privileged to know Bill DeLury for more than 60 years, from the time he was an office boy in Brooklyn and rose to become a most valuable member of the organization as our travelling secretary,” said Vin Scully, who also joined the team as a radio announcer in 1950.
“A Dodger fan from head to toe,” eulogized Scully in a statement issued by the team. “A respected baseball man. And a deeply religious husband and father.
“Anyone and everyone in baseball who knew Bill will mourn his passing and he will be truly missed.”
DeLury first worked in the team laundry and mail room, and earned his first World Series ring in 1955 at a job he described as “office boy,” the team said today.
He sold advertising for stadium programs, moved into the minor league department, then was assistant ticket manager. For more than 20 years, he was the Dodgers’ travelling secretary.
Most recently, he served as the Dodgers’ assistant to the broadcast team, including Scully.
The team’s announcement of his death mentioned a story that has become almost legendary baseball lore, when he was assigned the leave the National League playoff game in the final innings, during the key 1951 league playoff game between the Dodgers and the archrival New York Giants.
The Dodgers were up 4-1 and the teenaged DeLury was assigned to take the subway train back to Manhattan to deliver the World Series tickets to Dodgers ticket outlets.
During the train trip, the Giants’ Bobby Thompson prematurely ended the Dodgers’ season with the home run known as “the shot heard round the world.”
DeLury arrived in Manhattan and was met by a lone security guard, who told him to go home with the worthless tickets.
— City News Service