LOS ANGELES -- Bob Smith, a longtime Dodgers executive and vice president of stadium operations from 1969-94, died Saturday night at the age of 83. He was retired and resided in Old Hickory, Tenn.
"For more than 30 years, Bob was responsible for the cleanliness and safety of Dodger Stadium," said former Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley. "He set the standard, no one did it better. My thoughts are with his wife, Lucy, and family. I've lost a very good friend."
Smith was in charge of operational issues and security at Dodger Stadium, representing Allied Consolidated Services, during The Beatles' concert on Aug. 28, 1966. He was responsible for maintaining the beauty and functionality of iconic Dodger Stadium, the crown jewel of baseball stadia and with a record number of fans passing through the turnstiles.
In February 1980, O'Malley, Smith (then director of stadium operations), Fred Claire (executive vice president, public relations and promotions) and Akihiro "Ike" Ikuhara (administrative assistant) traveled to Japan to meet with top management from Mitsubishi Electric Corporation and finalize plans to introduce the world's first and largest full-color matrix board to Dodger Stadium on July 8, 1980 at the MLB All-Star Game. The state-of-the-art Dodger board revolutionized how games were presented in America and around the globe.