Part 1: Anaconda Copper and the Rams-Six Degrees of Separation

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” Lao Tzu

The prospect of making huge mounds of money were the primary motivating factors regarding the previous relocation of our beloved Rams franchise shortly after the end of World War II. In a similar environment of back office intrigue and corporate gamesmanship, the NFL continues to move its franchises accordingly. With this in mind, let’s step into the silver DeLorean and take a trip back to the swinging 40’s.

At one point, in the age of Mantle, Mays and our beloved Brooklyn Dodgers, Dan Topping, principal owner of the now defunct Brooklyn Tigers, expressed his desire to relocate the team from Ebbets Field in Flatbush to the much larger Yankee Stadium. Obviously, this did not sit well with Yankee Stadium occupant the New York Giants and their shrewd owner, Tim Mara. He had good reason: the Yankees had displaced the Giants as New York’s premier baseball team after moving to Yankee Stadium decades earlier, three football leagues had unsuccessfully planted teams there hoping to repeat that feat, and Topping was significantly wealthier than Mara, due to Dan Topping’s executive role with the prolifically profitable Anaconda Mining Company.

Topping out-maneuvered Mara by buying into the Yankees baseball club, moving his franchise to their sparkling ballpark, and transferring his club to the upstart All-America Football Conference. He renamed his football team the “New York Yankees”, the seven other owners in the new upstart league immediately rewarded Topping with $100,000 each. Topping made out like a Bandit.

Peace,
The Guru