Posted on 03/27/2012 8:21:24 PM PDT by doug from upland
Magic Johnson Wins Auction for Dodgers Basketball legend Magic Johnson led a group that won an auction for the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, marking the final chapter of in a soap-opera style saga for the legendary franchise.
Johnson has a reputation as a capable businessman. This could be good development for the Blue Crew.
Good news for los Doyers if he isn’t letting Frank McCourt keep the parking lots.
I guess it’s cool. I lost interest in the Dodgers when they traded Steve Garvey.
Agreed. Magic brought thinkinkg to basketball, then used that to his numerous and very successful businesses.
And, of course, L.A. will LOVE having him as part of yet another historic local sports franchise.
Just read that if this goes through McCourt will make a $900 million dollar profit
Actually the Dodgers did not trade Garvey, he declared free agency and signed with the Padres. Probably a good move on the Dodgers’ part. I noticed a downgrade on Garvey’s abilities in 1982 and that was his last good year.
I was very happy that Mark Cuban did not buy the Dodgers.
Left field pavillion seats at $50?
Baseball used to be a TEAM sport and the Dodgers had a team attitude. They had the same infield for almost a decade with Garvey, Sacks and Lopes and the same pitching staff with Hersheiser and Sutton and Charlie Hough and you equated the players with the city and the city with the team.
After Garvey left there was never again that cohesive team spirit on the Dodgers and worse, the whole of major league baseball became nothing more than a business venture for corporations and billionaire capitalists.
I guess it wasn't just the Dodgers that lost my interest. I love baseball, but I just have a hard time getting invested in any team these days. No matter which team you are currently rooting for, the roster will change so much in the next 3 years that even if you are a season ticket holder, you'll need to buy a program so you know who's playing on YOUR TEAM.
Good thing the Villaraigosa group didn’t get it and move the team to Mexico. (There was not really a Villaraigosa group.)
here’s the ESPN link
Magic just tweeted out confirmation.
FYI....MLB had appointed a committee of three owners to review the financial statements of the various groups bidding for the Dodgers. One of the owners...none other than NY Mets owner Fred Wilpon..he of the Bernie Madoff connection....
1.1 bil was sale of Miami Dolphins, the second highest sports franchise. Good grief is this ever a lot of money.
FWIIW, I get a bit misty remembering the Iron Curtain Infield and the Big Blue Wrecking Crew.
That was my entire childhood.
Doug,
I listened to this one with a crappy transistor radio on my parents’ kitchen.
Went to game 4 of the World Series, sat at the very top of the RF pavilion. Just missed catching Wes Parker’s homer as I was walking up the steps.
“Batting against him [Don Drysdale] is the same as making a date with the dentist.” – Dick Groat[5]
“Don Drysdale would consider an intentional walk a waste of three pitches. If he wants to put you on base, he can hit you with one pitch.” – Mike Shannon
“The trick against Drysdale is to hit him before he hits you.” – Orlando Cepeda
“I hated to bat against Drysdale. After he hit you he’d come around, look at the bruise on your arm and say, ‘Do you want me to sign it?’” – Mickey Mantle
“For every Dodger they [the Giants’ pitchers] knock down, I’ll knock down two of theirs—and they won’t be .220 hitters, either.” – Drysdale, still on the subject of brushback pitches; quoted from the Los Angeles Times
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.