Walter Alston

Walter Emmons Alston (December 1, 1911 – October 1, 1984), nicknamed "Smokey," was an American baseball manager in Major League Baseball who managed the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1954 through 1976, signing 23 one-year contracts with the team. Known for his calm, reticent demeanor, he was sometimes called "the Quiet Man."

Born and raised in rural Ohio, Alston lettered in baseball and basketball at Miami University in Oxford. His major league playing career consisted of a single game with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1936—two innings in the field and one at-bat. A journeyman, he spent 19 years in the minor leagues as a player, player-manager, and non-playing manager. His service included managing the 1946 Nashua Dodgers, the first U.S.-based integrated professional team in modern baseball. After six seasons managing Brooklyn's Triple-A clubs, the St. Paul Saints and Montreal Royals, Alston was promoted to manage the Dodgers in 1954.

As a major league manager, Alston led Dodger teams to seven National League pennants and four World Series titles. Across 23 seasons at the helm, he was retained year after year on a series of one-year contracts.