The Dodgers Leave Brooklyn

No fans have ever loved their team in the way in which the Brooklyn Dodgers fans loved theirs. Thus, it was a tremendous blow when team owner, Walter O’Malley, moved the franchise to Los Angeles before the start of the 1958 season. His reasoning was understandable as the Dodgers' attendance was not stellar and the West Coast offered a greater opportunity for legions of new baseball fans. By February 21, 1957, O'Malley had acquired the territorial rights to Los Angeles and the decision to move the team had been made. This letter shows how, at least publicly, O'Malley didn't tell the Brooklyn faithful the full truth about his intentions to relocate the franchise.