Walter O'Malley's decision to relocate the Brooklyn Dodgers to Los Angeles transformed the landscape of Major League Baseball and introduced the West Coast to America's favorite pastime. As early as the 1950s, the team sought modern amenities and larger revenues that were unavailable in Brooklyn. O'Malley had been eyeing various locations to boost attendance and revenues, leading to meetings with Los Angeles city officials. Despite local opposition and strong emotional ties from Brooklyn fans, O'Malley officially agreed to the move on May 3, 1957.

The relocation process was not merely a fight for a better stadium; it was part of a larger trend where teams began considering markets beyond their traditional bases. Los Angeles had just built a new stadium and was growing rapidly, representing a fertile ground for baseball's expansion. The Dodgers played their last season in 1957, where they said goodbye to their loyal Brooklyn fans, culminating in a bittersweet farewell that would go down in baseball lore.

The Dodgers then took to the West Coast, where they ended up in the newly constructed Dodger Stadium. This move was not just about the Dodgers; it set a precedent for future MLB teams considering moves to metropolitan areas where they could tap into unexplored markets. O'Malley's vision reshaped the way teams and the league itself approached geographic and economic opportunities. His actions contributed to the eventual MLB expansion to other cities, reinforcing the game’s popularity nationwide.