Major League Baseball relocations of 1950s–1960s
Franchise moves that expanded baseball across the United States.
The Major League Baseball relocations of the 1950s–1960s were a series of franchise moves that brought several teams to the Western and Southern United States, expanding the league's geographical reach. This period marked a stark contrast to baseball's early years, when teams were concentrated in the Northeast and Midwest, with no clubs west of St. Louis or south of Washington, D.C. The moves mirrored the westward movement of the U.S. population during a flourishing postwar economy and the arrival of commercial jet travel, opening new markets and reshaping the sport's landscape.
- Earliest move
- Boston Braves to Milwaukee (1953)
- Key relocation
- Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants to California (1958)
- Total teams added since 1960
- 14 (seven in each league)
- First lateral moves
- St. Louis Browns to Baltimore (1954); Philadelphia Athletics to Kansas City (1955)
- Longest period without a move
- 50 years (1903–1953)
Lore & Background
These moves reflected economic push and pull factors, including the rise of television and the desire for owners to have one team per city to avoid competing for the same fan base. In Boston, the Braves left due to the Red Sox's greater popularity; in St. Louis, the Browns moved while the Cardinals remained; in Philadelphia, the Athletics departed after the Phillies' 1950 success. The relocations fundamentally altered baseball's geography, paving the way for further expansion into the South and West.
Reader's Guide
The Major League Baseball relocations of the 1950s–1960s were transformative, breaking the sport's historical confinement to the Northeast and Midwest. By moving teams to cities like Milwaukee, Baltimore, Kansas City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, these relocations mirrored the postwar population shift westward and southward, facilitated by commercial jet travel. The moves were driven by economic factors, including the desire for single-team markets and the rise of television, which changed fan engagement. The 1958 moves of the Dodgers and Giants to California were particularly pivotal, opening the West Coast to Major League Baseball and inspiring further expansion. Since 1960, the National and American Leagues have added 14 teams, seven in each league, continuing the geographic diversification begun in this era. These relocations also highlighted the decline of multi-team cities, as owners sought to avoid competing for the same fan base, leading to the departure of the Braves from Boston, the Browns from St. Louis, the Athletics from Philadelphia, and the Giants and Dodgers from New York. The legacy of these moves is a more nationally distributed league, with baseball now a fixture across the United States.
Did You Know?
- The first move was the Boston Braves to Milwaukee in 1953, followed by the St. Louis Browns to Baltimore in 1954 and the Philadelphia Athletics to Kansas City in 1955.
- The Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants moved to California in 1958, opening the West Coast to Major League Baseball.
- An abortive attempt to move the St. Louis Browns to Los Angeles in December 1941 was derailed by the U.S. entry into World War II.
- Since 1960, the National and American Leagues have added a total of 14 teams, seven in each league.
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