Milwaukee Brewers

The Milwaukee Brewers are a Major League BaseballSeattle had just landed the NBA's SuperSonics, the
team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They are in theNBA was not in the same class as baseball was in
Central Division of the National League. The Brewersterms of popularity at the time.
were part of the American League from theirThe front man for the franchise was Dewey Soriano,
creation as an expansion club in 1969 through thea former Rainiers pitcher and general manager and
1997 season, after which they switched to theformer president of the PCL. In an ominous sign of
National League.things to come, Soriano had to ask William Daley,
The team has been nicknamed "The True Blue Brewwho had owned the Indians at the time they flirted
Crew," "The Brew Crew" or even simply "The Crew."with Seattle, to furnish much of the expansion fee. In
Franchise historyreturn, Daley bought 47 percent of the stock--the
1966-69: No longer "Home of the Braves"largest stake in the club. He became chairman of the
In an effort to prevent the relocation of theboard while Soriano served as president.
Milwaukee Braves to a larger television market,However, a couple of factors were beyond the
Braves minority owner Bud Selig, a Milwaukee-areaPilots' control. They were originally not set to start
car dealer, formed an organization named "Teamsplay until 1971. But the date was moved up to 1969
Inc." devoted to local control of the club. Heunder pressure from Sen. Stuart Symington of
successfully prevented the majority owners of theMissouri. Professional baseball had been played in
Braves from moving the club in 1964 but was unableKansas City in one form or another from the 1880s
to do more than delay the inevitable. The Bravesuntil the A's left for Oakland after the 1967 season,
relocated to Atlanta after the 1965 season, andand the prospect of having Kansas City wait three
Teams Inc. turned its focus to returning Majoryears for its return was not acceptable to
League Baseball to Milwaukee.Symington. Also, the Pilots had to pay the PCL $1
Selig doggedly pursued this goal, attending ownersmillion to compensate for the loss of one of its most
meetings in the hopes of securing an expansionsuccessful franchises. After King County voters
franchise. Selig changed the name of his group toapproved a bond for a domed stadium (what would
"Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club Inc.". The "Brewers"become the Kingdome) in 1968, the Seattle Pilots
name, honoring Milwaukee's beer-brewing tradition,were officially born. California Angels executive Marvin
also was traditional for Milwaukee baseball teamsMilkes was hired as general manager, and St. Louis
going back into the 19th century. The city hadCardinals coach Joe Schultz became manager.
hosted a major league team by that name in 1901,To the surprise of no one outside Seattle (Schultz
which relocated at the end of that season toand Milkes actually thought they could finish third in
became the St. Louis Browns (now the Baltimorethe newly formed AL West), the Pilots were terrible.
Orioles). From 1902 through 1952, a minor leagueThey won their very first game, and then their home
Milwaukee Brewers club in the American Associationopener three days later, but only won five more
had been so successful that it lured the Braves fromtimes in the first month and never recovered. They
Boston. Selig himself had grown up watching thatfinished last in the West with a record of 64-98, 33
minor league team at Borchert Field and intended hisgames out of first.
new franchise to follow in that tradition.However, the team's poor play was the least of its
To demonstrate there still was support for big-leaguetroubles. The most obvious problem was Sick's
ball in Milwaukee, Selig's group contracted withStadium. The longtime home of the Pacific Coast
Chicago White Sox owner Arthur Allyn to host nineLeague Seattle Rainiers, it had been considered one
White Sox home games at Milwaukee Countyof the best ballparks in minor league baseball. By the
Stadium in 1968. A 1967 exhibition game between the1960s, however, it was considered far behind the
White Sox and Minnesota Twins had attracted moretimes. While a condition of MLB awarding the Pilots to
than 51,000 spectators, and Selig was convinced theSeattle was that Sick's had to be expanded to
strong Milwaukee fan base would demonstrate the30,000 seats by the start of the 1969 season, only
city would provide a good home for a new club.17,000 seats were ready due to numerous delays.
The experiment was staggeringly successful - thoseThe scoreboard wasn't even ready until the eve of
nine games drew 264,297 fans. In Chicago thatopening day. While it was expanded to 25,000 by
season, the Sox drew 539,478 fans to theirJune, the added seats had obstructed views. Water
remaining 58 home games. In just a handful ofpressure was almost nonexistent after the seventh
games, the Milwaukee crowds accounted for nearlyinning, especially with crowds above 10,000.
one-third of the total attendance at White SoxAttendance was so poor (678,000) that the Pilots
games. In light of this success, Selig and Allyn agreedwere almost out of money by the end of the
County Stadium would host Sox home games againseason. The team's new stadium was slated to be
the next season.built at the Seattle Center, but a petition by stadium
In 1969, the Sox schedule in Milwaukee wasopponents ground the project to a halt.
expanded to include 11 home games (one againstDuring the offseason, Soriano crossed paths with
every other franchise in the American League at theSelig. They met in secret for over a month after the
time). Although those games were attended byend of the season, and during Game 1 of the World
slightly fewer fans (198,211 fans, for an average ofSeries, Soriano agreed to sell the Pilots to Selig for
18,019) they represented a greater percentage of$10 million to $13 million (depending on the source).
the total White Sox attendance than the previousSelig would then move the team to Milwaukee and
year - over one-third of the fans who went to Soxrename it the Brewers. However, the owners turned
home games in 1969 did so at County Stadium (init down in the face of pressure from Washington's
the remaining 59 home dates in Chicago, the Soxtwo senators, Warren Magnuson and Scoop Jackson,
drew 391,335 for an average of 6,632 per game).as well as state attorney general Slade Gorton. MLB
Selig felt this fan support lent legitimacy to his questasked Soriano and Daley to find a local buyer. Local
for a Milwaukee franchise, and he went into the 1968theater chain owner Fred Danz came forward in
owners meetings with high hopes.October 1969 with a $10 million deal, but it fizzled
Those hopes were dashed when National Leaguewhen the Bank of California called in a $4 million loan
franchises were awarded to San Diego (the Padres)it had made to Soriano and Daley for startup costs.
and Montreal (the Expos), and American LeagueIn January 1970, Westin Hotels owner Eddie Carlson
franchises were awarded to Kansas City (the Royals)put together a nonprofit group to buy the team.
and Seattle (the Pilots). That last franchise, however,However, the owners rejected the idea almost out
would figure very prominently in Selig's future.of hand since it would have devalued the other clubs'
Having failed to gain a major league franchise forworth. A more traditional deal came one vote short
Milwaukee through expansion, Selig turned his effortsof approval.
to purchasing and relocating an existing club. HisAfter a winter and spring full of court action, the
search began close to home, with the White SoxPilots reported for spring training under new manager
themselves. According to Selig, he had a handshakeDave Bristol unsure of where they would play. The
agreement with Allyn to purchase the Pale Hose andowners had given tentative approval to the
move them north. The American League, unwilling toMilwaukee group, but the state of Washington got
surrender Chicago to the National League, vetoed thean injunction on March 17 to stop the deal. Soriano
sale, and Allyn sold the franchise to his brother John.immediately filed for bankruptcy - a move intended
Frustrated in these efforts, Selig shifted his focus toto forestall any post-sale legal action. At the
another American League team, the expansionbankruptcy hearing a week later, Milkes testified
Seattle Pilots.there wasn't enough money to pay the coaches,
1969-70: Roots in Seattleplayers and office staff. Had Milkes been more than
Seattle initially had a lot going for it when it joined the10 days late in paying the players, they would have
American League in 1969. Seattle had long been aall become free agents and left Seattle without a
hotbed for minor league baseball and was home toteam for the 1970 season. With this in mind, Federal
the Seattle Rainiers, one of the pillars of the PacificBankruptcy Referee Sidney Volinn declared the Pilots
Coast League. The Cleveland Indians had almostbankrupt on April 1 - six days before Opening Day -
moved to Seattle in 1965. Many of the same thingsclearing the way for them to move to Milwaukee.
that attracted the Indians made Seattle a plumThe team's equipment had been sitting in Provo, Utah
choice for an expansion team. Seattle was thewith the drivers awaiting word on whether to drive
third-biggest metropolitan area on the West Coasttoward Seattle or Milwaukee.
(behind Los Angeles and the Bay Area). The additionMuch of the story of the Seattle Pilots' only year in
of a third team on the West Coast also wouldexistence is told in Jim Bouton's classic baseball book,
balance out the addition of Kansas City. Also, thereBall Four.
was no real competition from other pro teams. While