In this revisionist version of the Dodgers' exodus from Brooklyn to Los Angeles, viewed by many as a journey from Eden to Sodom, the Prime Mover emerges as less like Satan and more like Mosesavisionary, flawed and ultimately justified.

D'Antonio, who has written on aspects of cultural history from chocolate bars (Hershey, 2006) to spirituality (Heaven on Earth, 1992), enjoyed unlimited access to the huge archive of Walter O'Malley's papers and has extracted numerous goodies. None, however, is more revealing that what must now be considered unquestionable fact. O'Malley (1903a79) labored assiduously to keep the Dodgers in Brooklyn, but was stymied at every juncture by Robert Moses, New York's de facto czar of construction. D'Antonio interviewed myriad surviving participants in the story, players included, to uncover other uncomfortable facts. Even during the Dodgers' late-'40s/early-'50s glory years, attendance at Ebbets Field was declining for many reasons: lack of parking, white flight to the suburbs, the rise of television. Meanwhile, large cities across the country craved major- league baseball franchises. Los Angeles and San Francisco were respectively courting the Dodgers and Giants, though Milwaukee scooped them both by acquiring the Braves from Boston. When O'Malley saw L.A.'s offer, and realized that there was slim hope for help in Brooklyn, he decamped and transferred the franchise to the West Coast. There, as the author notes, it has flourished spectacularly in one of baseball's greatest stadiums. D'Antonio spices his forays into baseball business with plenty of baseball folklore. There are several pages on Bobby Thompson's mythic home run, many on the advent and reign ofJackie Robinson. He sometimes has difficulty with balance, offering only a few swift sentences on Roy Campanella's career-ending accident, for example. Readers may also wish for more about O'Malley's private life. We see the franchise owner as a consummate politician, a true mover-and-shaker, but we get few glimpses of his Dodger-blue soul.

First-rate cultural history from a writer who touches almost all bases.

"Although Walter O'Malley has been dead for nearly 30 years, D'Antonio's latest work is perhaps the most meticulously detailed and comprehensive account to date of the former owner of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers. Through research in O'Malley's letters, documents and myriad interviews with those close to him, D'Antonio (Tin Cup Dreams) presents a well-rounded portrayal of one of the most polarizing figures in baseball history: one New York writer referred to O'Malley as 'one of the three worst human beings who ever lived,' while a Los Angeles journalist described O'Malley as a man who 'did more for baseball than any commissioner.' D'Antonio paints the whole picture, starting with O'Malley's early days as a lawyer who originally began working with the club in a 'troubleshooting' capacity, to taking total control of ownership in 1950. During O'Malley's tenure with the Dodgers, the team had some of its most famous moments in history — the debut of Jackie Robinson, the club's first World Series title in 1955 and, of course, the team's infamous move to Los Angeles. D'Antonio explores everything — O'Malley's business dealings, his personal relationships with Robinson and Branch Rickey, the on-the-field fortunes of the Dodgers. With D'Antonio's access to O'Malley's most personal documents, even baseball historians will find something to learn." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Pulitzer Prize-winning writer D'Antonio presents a richly detailed and engrossing portrait of Walter O'Malley--the enigmatic Dodgers' owner who changed Brooklyn, Los Angeles, and baseball forever.

If ever there was a figure who changed the game of baseball, it was Walter OaMalley. Criticized in New York and beloved in Los Angeles, OaMalley is one of the most controversial owners in the history of American sports. He remade the major leagues and altered the course of history in both Brooklyn and Los Angeles when he moved the Dodgers to California. But while many New York critics attacked him, OaMalley looked to the future, declining to argue his case. As a result, fans across the nation have been unable to stop arguing about himauntil now.

Using never-before-seen documents and candid interviews with OaMalleyas players, associates, and relatives, Pulitzer Prizeawinning writer Michael DaAntonio finally reveals this complex sportsman and industry pioneer. Born into Tammany Hall connections, OaMalley used political contacts to grow wealthy during the Great Depression, and then maneuvered to take control of the formerly downtrodden Dodgers. After his defeat in a war of wills with the famed power broker, Robert Moses, OaMalley uprooted the boroughas team and transplanted them to Los Angeles. Once in Los Angeles, OaMalley overcame opponents of his stadium and helped define the city. Other owners came to regard him as their guideaalmost an unofficial commissioneraand he worked behind the scenes to usher in the age of the playersa union and free agency.

Filled with new revelations about OaMalleyas battle with Moses, his pioneering business strategies, and his relationship with Jackie Robinson, Forever Blue is a uniquely intimate portrait of a man who changed Americaas pastime forever. His fascinating story is fundamental to the history of sports, business, and the American West.