Somebody better remind Mayor Jerry Brown that this is America. Somebody better remind Oakland's Board of Supervisors and the Oakland City Council that Oakland is a city in America.

American cities get recognition in America, not only because of their Colleges and Universities and Industrial Parks, but also because of the history of success of their professional sports teams.

The Oakland A's have a rich and honorable history in Baseball. The City of Oakland must remain a Major League city because it has everything to gain from it and give to it.

Just ask Commissioner Selig what the "Brewers" did for Milwaukee and I'm not talking about Miller and Pabst Blue Ribbon. The Commish should remind his Blue Ribbon Committee that Oakland, like his Milwaukee, is a working man's town. It is blue collar, made up of people who expect good value for the dollar they spend.

The Commish should remind his Blue Ribbon folks how some of his 'ol boys ' had doubts. They said those Milwaukee "Dutch" people would not support a baseball team.

Just ask the Commish what the "lords of baseball" did to the Milwaukee fans in 1965. They decided that, even though the Milwaukee Braves had 13 winning seasons, they should be moved to a larger market where a great TV audience was waiting in Atlanta.

Milwaukee fans waited and got their baseball back after another five years. It was another name and another league, the Milwaukee Brewers.

Somebody better remind the politicians of Oakland and the Baseball Lords that it was the Eddie Mathews and the Johnny Logans who were responsible for the love and history they now have in Milwaukee. The baseball they now love in Milwaukee, even if it was by another name.

Cities fight for the honor of hosting a baseball team. In the process taxpayers are hustled out of their hard earned dollars to finance baseball for private gain. Somebody must take responsibility for that. Somebody must be reminded of how to do it right.

Somebody better remind Mr. Selig, and the city people of Oakland, how sad was the sound of that bugler playing Taps in the outfield while Eddie Matthews came to bat in the eight inning that September 22, 1965.

Don't let that bugler play taps in outfield in Oakland!

by Diamond Lil

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