From 1950 to 1998 there was one constant with the Dodgers. Ownership. Walter Francis O’Malley took control of the team as it’s primary stockholder and owner in 1950. Branch Rickey’s contract was expiring in October of that year. He had purchased a 25% ownership of the team in 1944. Rickey and John L. Smith were also part owners as were the heirs of McKeever who had owned the team with Charles Ebbets.
So when Smith died in July of 1950, O’Malley convinced his widow to turn over control of his shares to the Brooklyn Trust Company which was controlled by O’Malley in his job as chief counsel for them.