This Day In Dodgers History: Owner Walter O’Malley Announces Plans To Move From Brooklyn To Los Angeles

On May 3, 1957, owner Walter O’Malley announced his intention to move the Dodgers from Brooklyn to Los Angeles. His monumental decision excited some, angered many, and wouldn’t become official until an MLB vote two weeks later.

The Dodgers’ move to the West Coast was accompanied by the New York Giants also relocating, settling in San Francisco. O’Malley and the Dodgers were required to recruit a second team with them, as at the time the St. Louis Cardinals were the only National League team within distance.

O’Malley committed to the move after meeting with officials in Los Angeles. It led to an agreement announced via the “The Arnebergh Memorandum.”

It called for the city to acquire and deed 350 acres in Chavez Ravine for the purpose of building a new stadium. That was at the core of O’Malley’s decision to move from Brooklyn, as he sought financial assistance to construct a new baseball home for the Dodgers.

Under Malley’s direction in Brooklyn, they won the National League pennant in 1952, 1953, 1955 and 1956. Included in that was winning the franchise’s first World Series in 1955. The Dodgers otherwise failed to defeat the New York Yankees when matching up in the Fall Classic.

Overall, the Dodgers spent 74 seasons in Brooklyn. They originated as the Brooklyn Atlantics (1884) and were also knowns as the Brooklyn Grays (1885-1887), Brooklyn Grooms (1891-1895), Brooklyn Bridesgrooms (1888-1898), Brooklyn Superbas (1899-1913), Brooklyn Robins (1914-1931) and Brooklyn Dodgers (1911-1957).

After spending multiple seasons playing at the Los Angeles Coliseum, they played their first game at Dodger Stadium on April 10, 1962. The initial plan called for it to open in 1961 but lawsuits caused a delay.