Tommy Hawkins Is Hired by Dodgers

As part of a continuing reorganization of the front office, the Dodgers announced Wednesday that Tommy Hawkins, a longtime Los Angeles radio and TV personality, will join the club as vice president of communications.

The Dodgers also announced that Bob Graziano, who has been the club’s finance director since 1986, will become vice president of finance and that two other employees are taking on new responsibilites.

Irene Tanji, a member of the accounting department, will become director of human resources, and Mike Mularky, of data processing, will become data processing director.

The moves follow the recent announcement that Fred Claire will remain as executive vice president, player personnel, a position he has held since the April firing of Al Campanis, and that Charles Blaney, the Dodgertown director, will become director of minor league operations, succeeding Bill Schweppe, who is retiring.

Hawkins, 50, will oversee the publicity, public relations, marketing and community relations departments, according to club President Peter O’Malley. He becomes the organization’s highest-ranking black offical.

O’Malley said it is the cornerstone of the club’s affirmative action program to seek minority representation whenever there is an opening, but that Hawkins was hired on the basis of his credentials and experience and it would be “inaccurate and unfair” to say he was hired because he is black.

“If that’s the perception,” Hawkins said, “so be it. I can’t be concerned. But I’m not here as affirmative-action window dressing.”

Hawkins said he did not apply, that he was approached by the Dodgers and has been discussing the position with O’Malley for two months. He said he will be involved in all areas of communications--from fans to sponsors to dealing with player complaints. His primary objective, he said, will be to help restore the confidence of both the players and fans.

O’Malley, however, stressed that the baseball operation will remain under Claire’s jurisdiction and that Hawkins will be performing many of the functions that Claire formerly did.

O’Malley added that he is pleased by the positive reaction of his public relations and marketing personnel, many of whom have been with the club for several years and would have seemed in line for a vice presidency.

Is Hawkins concerned about that aspect? “No,” he said. “I have the ability to lead and to cooperate.”

Said O’Malley of Hawkins: “He’s an outstanding communicator.”

Hawkins is seen on KHJ-TV’s “Mid-Morning Los Angeles” show as co-host with Stephanie Edwards but said he will give up that role. No date has been set for his leaving Channel 9 and officially joining the Dodgers.

A graduate of Notre Dame, Hawkins played in the National Basketball Assn. for 10 years and spent 15 years at radio station KABC. He has owned a public relations company, taught courses in black athletic history and been active in a number of community endeavors.