Coming Wednesday: Public ownership of the Dodgers ... we're in the ballpark
A link to Wednesday's story: http://www.dailynews.com/sportscolumnists/ci_16324037
Do you think this could work? Email me at thomas.hoffarth@dailynews.com
wateromalley.com, via USC Specialized Libaries and Archives Collection.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn, left, and L.A. City Councilwoman Rosalind Wyman, two of the parties responsible for securing the Dodgers, make a presentation of an official proclamation welcoming Walter O'Malley and the ballclub in October, 1957.
It was about 10 days ago when L.A. City Councilwoman Janice Hahn's office issued a press release that may have gone under the radar, but years from now could be looked back on as a rather historic document.
The first step in public ownership of the Dodgers?
"If the Dodgers are ever sold, the public should be able to bid," she said in the release (linked here). "And if it takes an act of Congress to make it happen -- so be it."
This, from the daughter of the L.A. County Supervisor who knocked down a few walls to get the Dodgers to come her from Brooklyn in 1957. Not to mention that her brother, James, who'd grow up to be the city's mayor, was also the first first honorary bat boy of the team.
"We know there are a lot of bases to cover here, but let's start the process," she said when we contacted her office.
It has come full circle for the Hahn family, and maybe she's right. Maybe the public does need a voice in purchasing the Dodgers. If the Green Bay Packers can do it ...
We'll get more into the whys and why nots on Wednesday. The rules in place. The rules we'll need to bend. The skeptics telling us it has no chance to happen.
They could also say Hahn is wasting her time with this. She disagrees.
"I'd like to see this happen and I will be supportive to make it a reality," she said. "But, its going to be up to our Congressmembers to do the heavy lifting. My priority continues to be keeping the city running and getting people back to work. But in these tough times we can all use a little baseball."
Some things to link to in the meantime:
== Janice Hahn's home page (linked here)
== A Facebook page called "Frank McCourt -- Sell the Dodgers! Leave L.A.!" (linked here)
== An explanation as to how it works to be a Green Bay Packers shareholder (linked here)
== An explanation of the "Give Fans A Chance Act" (linked here and linked here)
== Background on the Minnesota Twins' discussion once about community ownership (linked here).
== The bulk of the Major League Baseball ownership constitution (linked here)
== More predicent in community-owned pro sports teams (linked here)
About this blog
Leave a comment