Not about baseball

Turner warned that Murdoch would use his control of the Dodgers and Fox8217;s existing baseball television broadcasting deal to drive smaller teams to the wall and further weaken the community base of those that survive. But his fears were not heeded and the owners voted overwhelmingly to approve the 350 million sale.

Voting among National League teams was 14 to one in Murdoch8217;s favour, with one abstention, while the rival American League teams voted 13 to one for the Fox takeover. Only Turner8217;s Atlanta Braves and the Chicago White Sox, owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, votedagainst the sale. The New York Mets abstained. Murdoch, who did not attend the meeting, issued a statement from London saying: 8220;As owners of the Dodgers, we will work hand-in-hand with the other owners to assure the long-term growth and success of America8217;s pastime.8221;

Turner8217;s last-ditch attempt to block the sale centred on his claim that the Australian-born Murdoch had no interest in the national sport. He told the other owners that Fox would plough extra funds into the Dodgers, forcing up salaries to levels which would drive ailing family-owned teams such as the Pittsburgh Pirates to the wall.

The battle for baseball is the latest episode in an increasingly vocal and personal crusade by Turner against his rival. Although the feud was originally based on Turner8217;s commercial determination to prevent Murdoch from taking over his CNN cable television network, the rivalry has gradually become more politicised, with the liberal Turner berating Murdoch for his conservative politics and, on one occasion,comparing him to 8220;the late Fuhrer8221;.

Murdoch8217;s victory gives him ownership of the Dodgers team, its stadium in Los Angeles and training complexes in Florida and the Dominican Republic. It easily outstrips the previous record for a baseball franchise, the 173 million paid for the Baltimore Orioles in 1993. It is also thought to be the cornerstone in Murdoch8217;s expected bid for control over other sports in Los Angeles, including American football and basketball.

The sale to Murdoch by the O8217;Malley family brings to an end one of the most controversial team ownerships in modern baseball history, the most notorious moment of which was the O8217;Malleys8217; decision to move the Dodgers franchise from Brooklyn on the east coast to Los Angeles in 1957.