| The Milwaukee Brewers are a Major League | | | | teams. While Seattle had just landed the |
| Baseball team based in Milwaukee, | | | | NBA's SuperSonics, the NBA was not in |
| Wisconsin. They are in the Central | | | | the same class as baseball was in terms |
| Division of the National League. The | | | | of popularity at the time. |
| Brewers were part of the American League | | | | The front man for the franchise was |
| from their creation as an expansion club | | | | Dewey Soriano, a former Rainiers pitcher |
| in 1969 through the 1997 season, after | | | | and general manager and former president |
| which they switched to the National | | | | of the PCL. In an ominous sign of things |
| League. | | | | to come, Soriano had to ask William |
| The team has been nicknamed "The True | | | | Daley, who had owned the Indians at the |
| Blue Brew Crew," "The Brew Crew" or even | | | | time they flirted with Seattle, to |
| simply "The Crew." | | | | furnish much of the expansion fee. In |
| Franchise history | | | | return, Daley bought 47 percent of the |
| 1966-69: No longer "Home of the Braves" | | | | stock--the largest stake in the club. He |
| In an effort to prevent the relocation | | | | became chairman of the board while |
| of the Milwaukee Braves to a larger | | | | Soriano served as president. |
| television market, Braves minority owner | | | | However, a couple of factors were beyond |
| Bud Selig, a Milwaukee-area car dealer, | | | | the Pilots' control. They were |
| formed an organization named "Teams | | | | originally not set to start play until |
| Inc." devoted to local control of the | | | | 1971. But the date was moved up to 1969 |
| club. He successfully prevented the | | | | under pressure from Sen. Stuart |
| majority owners of the Braves from | | | | Symington of Missouri. Professional |
| moving the club in 1964 but was unable | | | | baseball had been played in Kansas City |
| to do more than delay the inevitable. | | | | in one form or another from the 1880s |
| The Braves relocated to Atlanta after | | | | until the A's left for Oakland after the |
| the 1965 season, and Teams Inc. turned | | | | 1967 season, and the prospect of having |
| its focus to returning Major League | | | | Kansas City wait three years for its |
| Baseball to Milwaukee. | | | | return was not acceptable to Symington. |
| Selig doggedly pursued this goal, | | | | Also, the Pilots had to pay the PCL $1 |
| attending owners meetings in the hopes | | | | million to compensate for the loss of |
| of securing an expansion franchise. | | | | one of its most successful franchises. |
| Selig changed the name of his group to | | | | After King County voters approved a bond |
| "Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club Inc.". | | | | for a domed stadium (what would become |
| The "Brewers" name, honoring Milwaukee's | | | | the Kingdome) in 1968, the Seattle |
| beer-brewing tradition, also was | | | | Pilots were officially born. California |
| traditional for Milwaukee baseball teams | | | | Angels executive Marvin Milkes was hired |
| going back into the 19th century. The | | | | as general manager, and St. Louis |
| city had hosted a major league team by | | | | Cardinals coach Joe Schultz became |
| that name in 1901, which relocated at | | | | manager. |
| the end of that season to became the St. | | | | To the surprise of no one outside |
| Louis Browns (now the Baltimore | | | | Seattle (Schultz and Milkes actually |
| Orioles). From 1902 through 1952, a | | | | thought they could finish third in the |
| minor league Milwaukee Brewers club in | | | | newly formed AL West), the Pilots were |
| the American Association had been so | | | | terrible. They won their very first |
| successful that it lured the Braves from | | | | game, and then their home opener three |
| Boston. Selig himself had grown up | | | | days later, but only won five more times |
| watching that minor league team at | | | | in the first month and never recovered. |
| Borchert Field and intended his new | | | | They finished last in the West with a |
| franchise to follow in that tradition. | | | | record of 64-98, 33 games out of first. |
| To demonstrate there still was support | | | | However, the team's poor play was the |
| for big-league ball in Milwaukee, | | | | least of its troubles. The most obvious |
| Selig's group contracted with Chicago | | | | problem was Sick's Stadium. The longtime |
| White Sox owner Arthur Allyn to host | | | | home of the Pacific Coast League Seattle |
| nine White Sox home games at Milwaukee | | | | Rainiers, it had been considered one of |
| County Stadium in 1968. A 1967 | | | | the best ballparks in minor league |
| exhibition game between the White Sox | | | | baseball. By the 1960s, however, it was |
| and Minnesota Twins had attracted more | | | | considered far behind the times. While a |
| than 51,000 spectators, and Selig was | | | | condition of MLB awarding the Pilots to |
| convinced the strong Milwaukee fan base | | | | Seattle was that Sick's had to be |
| would demonstrate the city would provide | | | | expanded to 30,000 seats by the start of |
| a good home for a new club. | | | | the 1969 season, only 17,000 seats were |
| The experiment was staggeringly | | | | ready due to numerous delays. The |
| successful - those nine games drew | | | | scoreboard wasn't even ready until the |
| 264,297 fans. In Chicago that season, | | | | eve of opening day. While it was |
| the Sox drew 539,478 fans to their | | | | expanded to 25,000 by June, the added |
| remaining 58 home games. In just a | | | | seats had obstructed views. Water |
| handful of games, the Milwaukee crowds | | | | pressure was almost nonexistent after |
| accounted for nearly one-third of the | | | | the seventh inning, especially with |
| total attendance at White Sox games. In | | | | crowds above 10,000. Attendance was so |
| light of this success, Selig and Allyn | | | | poor (678,000) that the Pilots were |
| agreed County Stadium would host Sox | | | | almost out of money by the end of the |
| home games again the next season. | | | | season. The team's new stadium was |
| In 1969, the Sox schedule in Milwaukee | | | | slated to be built at the Seattle |
| was expanded to include 11 home games | | | | Center, but a petition by stadium |
| (one against every other franchise in | | | | opponents ground the project to a halt. |
| the American League at the time). | | | | During the offseason, Soriano crossed |
| Although those games were attended by | | | | paths with Selig. They met in secret for |
| slightly fewer fans (198,211 fans, for | | | | over a month after the end of the |
| an average of 18,019) they represented a | | | | season, and during Game 1 of the World |
| greater percentage of the total White | | | | Series, Soriano agreed to sell the |
| Sox attendance than the previous year - | | | | Pilots to Selig for $10 million to $13 |
| over one-third of the fans who went to | | | | million (depending on the source). Selig |
| Sox home games in 1969 did so at County | | | | would then move the team to Milwaukee |
| Stadium (in the remaining 59 home dates | | | | and rename it the Brewers. However, the |
| in Chicago, the Sox drew 391,335 for an | | | | owners turned it down in the face of |
| average of 6,632 per game). Selig felt | | | | pressure from Washington's two senators, |
| this fan support lent legitimacy to his | | | | Warren Magnuson and Scoop Jackson, as |
| quest for a Milwaukee franchise, and he | | | | well as state attorney general Slade |
| went into the 1968 owners meetings with | | | | Gorton. MLB asked Soriano and Daley to |
| high hopes. | | | | find a local buyer. Local theater chain |
| Those hopes were dashed when National | | | | owner Fred Danz came forward in October |
| League franchises were awarded to San | | | | 1969 with a $10 million deal, but it |
| Diego (the Padres) and Montreal (the | | | | fizzled when the Bank of California |
| Expos), and American League franchises | | | | called in a $4 million loan it had made |
| were awarded to Kansas City (the Royals) | | | | to Soriano and Daley for startup costs. |
| and Seattle (the Pilots). That last | | | | In January 1970, Westin Hotels owner |
| franchise, however, would figure very | | | | Eddie Carlson put together a nonprofit |
| prominently in Selig's future. | | | | group to buy the team. However, the |
| Having failed to gain a major league | | | | owners rejected the idea almost out of |
| franchise for Milwaukee through | | | | hand since it would have devalued the |
| expansion, Selig turned his efforts to | | | | other clubs' worth. A more traditional |
| purchasing and relocating an existing | | | | deal came one vote short of approval. |
| club. His search began close to home, | | | | After a winter and spring full of court |
| with the White Sox themselves. According | | | | action, the Pilots reported for spring |
| to Selig, he had a handshake agreement | | | | training under new manager Dave Bristol |
| with Allyn to purchase the Pale Hose and | | | | unsure of where they would play. The |
| move them north. The American League, | | | | owners had given tentative approval to |
| unwilling to surrender Chicago to the | | | | the Milwaukee group, but the state of |
| National League, vetoed the sale, and | | | | Washington got an injunction on March 17 |
| Allyn sold the franchise to his brother | | | | to stop the deal. Soriano immediately |
| John. | | | | filed for bankruptcy - a move intended |
| Frustrated in these efforts, Selig | | | | to forestall any post-sale legal action. |
| shifted his focus to another American | | | | At the bankruptcy hearing a week later, |
| League team, the expansion Seattle | | | | Milkes testified there wasn't enough |
| Pilots. | | | | money to pay the coaches, players and |
| 1969-70: Roots in Seattle | | | | office staff. Had Milkes been more than |
| Seattle initially had a lot going for it | | | | 10 days late in paying the players, they |
| when it joined the American League in | | | | would have all become free agents and |
| 1969. Seattle had long been a hotbed for | | | | left Seattle without a team for the 1970 |
| minor league baseball and was home to | | | | season. With this in mind, Federal |
| the Seattle Rainiers, one of the pillars | | | | Bankruptcy Referee Sidney Volinn |
| of the Pacific Coast League. The | | | | declared the Pilots bankrupt on April 1 |
| Cleveland Indians had almost moved to | | | | - six days before Opening Day - clearing |
| Seattle in 1965. Many of the same things | | | | the way for them to move to Milwaukee. |
| that attracted the Indians made Seattle | | | | The team's equipment had been sitting in |
| a plum choice for an expansion team. | | | | Provo, Utah with the drivers awaiting |
| Seattle was the third-biggest | | | | word on whether to drive toward Seattle |
| metropolitan area on the West Coast | | | | or Milwaukee. |
| (behind Los Angeles and the Bay Area). | | | | Much of the story of the Seattle Pilots' |
| The addition of a third team on the West | | | | only year in existence is told in Jim |
| Coast also would balance out the | | | | Bouton's classic baseball book, Ball |
| addition of Kansas City. Also, there was | | | | Four. |
| no real competition from other pro | | | | |