LEAVING TOWN SPORTS
FIRST UP: BASEBALL — FROM THE BRAVES TO THE A’S
The story behind the big decisions of some of the most beloved teams who uprooted their clubs, abandoning their fans.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Since 1903, baseball has been a model of consistency, unlike other North American professional sports. This all changed starting in 1952.
The Braves' departure from Boston to Milwaukee changed the face of baseball forever. In a span of six years, five baseball teams repositioned to a new city. In the following seven decades, seven more franchises have transitioned to a new home.
Fans have wondered what caused these drastic moves from the owners. Author Martin Stone examines the story behind the big decisions of some of the most beloved baseball teams to uproot their team from its city of origin, leaving their fans behind.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I was born and raised in Toronto, Canada as part of a family of five. My parents worked at a racetrack, so I grew up with sports all around me.
History has been a passion of mine since high school. I enjoy learning and understanding key moments that have shaped our world into what it is today. It is what led me to pursue my Bachelor of Arts degree in history, with a minor in political science at the University of Toronto.
To pay for my tuition, I worked for the catering company at Exhibition Stadium, which was the home of the Toronto Blue Jays and Argonauts. In the six years there I gained some insights on how a sports franchise builds an entertaining product for their fans.
A new job opportunity resulted in my moving to Ottawa where I continued working in the food service industry for the next 40 years. It is in Ottawa that I met my wife and we have raised a family with three children.
In my retirement, I tied my interests in sports and history together. As I started doing research, I realized that there was an untold story as to why some of the most beloved sports teams relocate. And so, I decided to dig in and examine why professional teams are uprooted. Baseball being the oldest of the four professional sports, is the first in the series to be examined.
“Martin takes the reader into a deep dive into why professional baseball teams move and the hearts broken along the way. You really get a sense of not only the facts and figures that may have justified the relocation, but insight into how the decisions were made, who made them and their consequences. The chapters have summaries at the end which are excellent!”
- Manuel Henriques