Author Description

"Ebbets to Paradise: O’Malley’s Journey to the Coliseum and Dodger Stadium" by Allen Schery offers an authoritative and immersive account of one of the most consequential chapters in baseball and urban history—the relocation of the Brooklyn Dodgers from their iconic home at Ebbets Field to the sprawling “Paradise” metropolis of Los Angeles. This transformation, profoundly reshaping the cultural and sporting landscape, is told through the lens of key players, political battles, and the indomitable spirit of a visionary owner. Schery casts readers into the turbulent political theater of New York City in the late 1950s, where Dodger owner Walter O’Malley’s ambitious plan to build a new stadium is repeatedly thwarted by an arrogant, self-righteous Robert Moses, the powerful master builder whose dogmatic control and obstinate pride starkly contrast with O’Malley’s bold vision. Their clashes become emblematic of broader struggles over power, urban space, and change, ultimately forcing the Dodgers on a dramatic trek westward. Against this backdrop, the narrative traces O’Malley’s grappling with the challenging and often contentious politics of Los Angeles, where securing land in Chavez Ravine sparks fierce legal battles and conflicts over public resource usage. Schery vividly reconstructs the Dodgers’ temporary residence in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum—an old football stadium hastily converted for baseball with makeshift fences—capturing the struggles of the aging Brooklyn Dodger roster to win over a skeptical new fanbase while laying the groundwork for legendary success. Interwoven throughout are compelling portraits of the diverse cast of characters—city officials, community leaders, players, and fans—whose intertwined stories reveal the social, political, and cultural complexities of this era. From thrilling moments like the 1959 World Series championship to the iconic four-game sweep of the New York Yankees in 1963, the book chronicles both triumphs an