Sunday Morning

Almanac: The Dodgers leave Brooklyn

/ CBS News

And now a page from our "Sunday Morning" Almanac: October 8th, 1957, 60 years ago today -- the day baseball fans in Brooklyn struck out.

For that was the day the hometown Dodgers announced they were leaving Brooklyn for Los Angeles.

Long a hard-luck team derided by many as "The Bums," the Dodgers enjoyed sweet vindication in 1955 with a World Series win over their hated cross-town rivals, the Yankees.

The 1957 Dodgers pose for a team photo at Ebbets Field -- the last Dodgers team to hail from Brooklyn. Seated on ground, from left: Charles Di Giovanna, assistant clubhouse custodian, and batboy Eddie Lehan. Seated in chairs, from left, first row: Carl Erskine, Jim Gilliam, Clem Labine, Don Zimmer, Gino Cimoli, coaches Billy Herman and Greg Mullaney, Pee Wee Reese, manager Walt Alston, coaches Joe Becker and Jake Pitler, Roy Campanella and Carl Furillo. Second row, from left: John Griffin, clubhouse custodian; Lee Scott, traveling secretary; Rene Valdes, Roger Craig, Ransom Jackson, Bob Kennedy, Gil Hodges, Don Drysdale, Ed Roebug, Don Bessent, Rainers Harold Wendler and Bill Buhler, and John Roseboro. Third row, from left: Elmer Valo, Bill Harris, Dan McDevitt, Jackie Collum, Rube Walker, Joe Pignatano, Charlie Neal, Don Newcombe, Sandy Amoros, Johnny Podres, Duke Snider, Sandy Koufax, Fred Kipp and Jim Gentile. Ray Howard/AP

Even as the Yankees struck back with a World Series win over Brooklyn in 1956, Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley was battling to replace his small and obsolete Ebbets Field with a brand-new stadium.

Stymied by the opposition of New York City public works czar Robert Moses, O'Malley finally yielded to the siren song of the City of Angels -- instantly becoming the devil incarnate whom many Brooklynites despise to this day.

Fast forward to THIS October, when the Dodgers and the Yankees are both in the hunt for post-season glory. Could yet another Dodgers-Yankees World Series be on deck?

Possibly yes, though fans in Arizona, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Houston, and Washington doubtless have other plans.

       
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