DODGERS
An aerial view of the expansive Dodgertown complex shows the spring training facility used by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
league baseball. The Vero Dodgers won FSL
in 1983 and 1990.
The New Orleans Saints NFL football team
trained at Dodgertown from 1976 to 1984.
In a memorable scrimmage they faced the
Miami Dolphins. Archie Manning and Bob
Griese were the quarterbacks.
The Dodgers with rookie pitcher Fernando
Valenzuela won the 1981 World Series. In
1988 the Dodgers won again with the heroics
Hershiser. The Dodgers have not won a World
Series since.
SALE SHOCKS COMMUNITY
While the Dodgers were no longer winning
World Series, they remained popular in Vero
Beach. More than half of Holman Stadium
was sold out to spring season ticket holders.
Then came a shock. In 1997, Peter O’Malley
announced the sale of the Dodgers.
Estate planning was given as the reason,
but there was more. He was unable to get
approval for a pro football stadium next to Dodger Stadium in
Los Angeles, and he was reported to be unhappy with the state
of baseball. As Vero Beach resident and former baseball commissioner
The Dodgers had several world tours in the 1950s, with overseas teams also traveling to Vero Beach to
play the Dodgers. At the time, Eastern Airlines was based at Vero Municipal Airport, facilitating travel
for the many fans and teams who came to Vero Beach.
game of baseball is lovely.”
An article in the Press Journal stated: “Much of what Vero has
become over the past 50 years can be traced to the Dodgers.” A
new buyer would probably move the team to Arizona for spring
training.
The newspaper also shocked the community by announcing its
sale to a national media conglomerate. Vero Beach lost two of its
institutions.
66
of Kirk Gibson and the pitching of Orel
Fay Vincent said, “The business of baseball is ugly, the
LOS ANGELES DODGERS
DODGERS COLLECTION, ARCHIVE CENTER, IRC MAIN LIBRARY
DODGER BLUE FADES
Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. bought the Dodgers for $350
million in 1998 to be part of Fox Television. Fox quickly traded the
most popular Dodger, Mike Piazza, as part of a Miami Marlins-NY
Mets deal. This was more about adding Miami to the Fox Sports
Network than baseball. Manager Billy Russell, who had replaced
Lasorda after his heart attack in 1996, was fired, as was Dodger
General Manager Fred Claire, the beginning of continued management
City of Vero Beach 1919-2019 VeroBeach100.org
chaos.
Fox was negotiating with Arizona interests to build a spring
facility for the Dodgers. With the threat of losing the Dodgers, the >>
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