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| Re: Tuscarora Almanac - October 8, 1974 - The Book of First Runs (1369363) | |||
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Re: Tuscarora Almanac - October 8, 1974 - The Book of First Runs |
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Posted by Fisk Ave Jim on Fri Oct 9 16:56:33 2015, in response to Re: Tuscarora Almanac - October 8, 1974 - The Book of First Runs, posted by mcorivervsaf on Fri Oct 9 13:32:45 2015. As told to me by my Father, a fierce Brooklyn fan: Ebbets Field was woefully obsolete by the 1950s & in dire need of replacement & more parking spaces. O'Malley approached the City looking for a site for a new Ebbets Field. O'Malley wanted his new ballpark over the Atlantic Ave subway/LIRR complex (Where Barcklays center is now). Robert Moses said no good. It would eminent domain too many families was the reason given for the turn down.(But ok to uproot thousands for the Cross Bx Expy BTW)O'Malley counters with a site in Red Hook, let me build my ballpark there. Again O'Malley is turned down. Moses & then NYC mayor Wagner says there were plans in the works for a huge shopping plaza there. This never materializes,plans change & eventually winds up as Kings Plaza at the tail end of Flatbush Ave. This time Moses says you can build a new Ebbets Field on the swampy ashpits in Flushing meadow. Now the City of Los Angeles approaches O'Malley & literally gives him a blank check. You build a ballpark here & we'll give you the land & parking concessions (a big thing back then. to get around L.A. you needed a car).In the mean time, you can use the Colisieum, rent free. There is no counter offer from Moses/Wagner, so the dye was cast. O'Malley tells them & the Brooklyn faithful to go fuck themselves & out west he went. One of his last comments about the move was, " Hell, if they want me to move to Flushing, I might as well go to Los Angeles" My takeaway from this is that O'Malley originally wanted to stay in Brooklyn, but Moses & Wagner had no fire in the belly to keep them there. But Los Angeles made him an offer he couldn't refuse. As a businessman, it was a smart move. As a feeling human being, he was as cold blooded as they come. Point being O'Malley wasn't the only bad guy here. |
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