Senior Circuit Gives Brewers, Fans New Life Tickets Sales, Optimism Soars As Team Returns To National League
A hurt that never really went away is almost forgotten now that Milwaukee is finally back in the National League.
At the end of the 1965 season, after a 13-year stay in which they won two pennants and one World Series, the Braves deserted Milwaukee for the plush television market of Atlanta. Milwaukee eventually adopted the Seattle Pilots, just in time for the 1970 season, but it wasn’t quite the same.
As well as the Brewers did in the American League - they won the pennant in 1982 - there was always a feeling that something was lacking.
Now, that something has been restored and Milwaukeeans are celebrating by buying tickets at a record pace. It seems that everyone from club president Bud Selig on down is giddy about the city’s return to the National League.
“Our slogan is, ‘We’re taking this thing National,”’ said Selig, who doubles as interim commissioner of baseball. “It’s really exciting.”
For reasons best known to members of the ever-puzzling baseball establishment, the decision to have the Brewers switch leagues was implemented only as a last resort.
Something had to be done to accommodate the expansion Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays. They couldn’t join the same league because of scheduling problems, so all kinds of realignment proposals were set forth. One had as many as 15 clubs switching leagues.
After all the wild ideas had been voted down, it was agreed that just one club would move. And even after that decision had been made, Milwaukee had to wait until Kansas City said no.
Why wasn’t the choice of Milwaukee a no-brainer?
“I know that sounds logical,” Selig said. “But being acting commissioner, I felt that pushing Milwaukee would be a conflict of interests. I never thought it would turn out this way.”
Selig noted that during the period preceding the final verdict, fans in various American League cities were polled regarding their interest in seeing their teams transfer to the National League.
“Milwaukee fans voted 83 percent in favor, which was huge,” Selig said. “Arlington, Texas, (home of the Texas Rangers) wanted realignment badly, too. Those people voted 79 percent. Kansas City was also very good, in the upper 60s or low 70s.
“But Milwaukee drew the biggest vote, so the decision was made, and I’ve never seen anything received with such enthusiasm. It’s unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable.
“Our ticket business is 30-40 percent better than a year ago. I think we’ll set an all-time record for season tickets - over 10,000. When we put tickets on sale … there must have been a thousand people in line at 8:30 in the morning.”
It comes as no surprise that the games against the Chicago Cubs have been the No. 1 draw. When the Braves represented Milwaukee, their rivalry with the Cubs was one of the most spirited in baseball. Fans went from one city to the other by the busload. “The four Cub games in July have outsold all the rest,” Selig said. “The Braves games have sold very well, too, and so have those with the Dodgers and Cardinals, but the Milwaukee-Chicago rivalry is what’s really getting people excited.”
Switching leagues has done much to bridge the gap between aging Milwaukee County Stadium and Miller Park, which is expected to be completed in time for the 2000 season. Brewers attendance had been so bad in recent years that before the proposal for a new stadium was approved, Milwaukee was in serious danger of becoming a two-time loser.
Opening day will carry a bit of nostalgia for Milwaukee fans. Expos manager Felipe Alou is one of three men to have played for the Milwaukee Braves and Brewers.
Hank Aaron, Hall of Famer and home run king - he hit 420 of his 755 home runs in Milwaukee uniforms. It may or may not be a coincidence, but the schedule-maker came up with a natural for the season opener March 31: Milwaukee at Atlanta.
xxxx TRIVIA TIME The Brewers’ home opener will be April 7 against the Montreal Expos, and the game will carry a bit of nostalgia. Expos manager Felipe Alou is one of three men to have played for the Milwaukee Braves and Brewers. The others are Hank Aaron, Hall of Famer and home run king, and Phil Roof, a journeyman catcher.