Roll Out the Barrel

They aren't a historical team like the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, or Brooklyn/LA Dodgers, but the Milwaukee Brewers have made their own, and very unique, impacts in the MLB even though it's only been a short 40+ years. Superstar names like Alex Rodriguez, Tim Lincecum, and Albert Pujols only grace the stadium when the visiting team is the Yankees, San Francisco Giants or the St. Louis Cardinals. Milwaukee, Wisconsin is far from a big market city like Chicago, New York or Philadelphia but somehow Milwaukeen's and Wisconsinites alike flocked. Its hard to even say they have a heated rivalry, other than with the Chicago Cubs (and maybe the Minnesota Twins). To everyone but the state of Wisconsin it was a surprise, but we are dedicated to our sports teams. The experience at a Brewer game is different than more than 75% of other ball parks, from the tailgate, to the inbetween innings entertainment to the post game celebrations. They're not a flashy money making franchise like many of the big teams, but we've got our own traditions to be proud of.


Before the Brewers came to town from Seattle in 1969, there were the Milwaukee Braves, playing for 12 years at County Stadium with Hank Aaron revolutionizing the game of baseball. Now Atlanta and Milwaukee both like to claim Hank Aaron as their own, but with the franchise in both cities during his career, the slugger has his #44 retired with both franchises. Once Aaron and the Braves left Milwaukee in 1965, no one thought that Milwaukee would see another MLB team. There wasn't the want and need for baseball like in other cities, Wisconsin was much too consumed with the Green Bay Packers (who up until the early 2000's played some home games at County Stadium). When the Seattle Pilots packed up and moved to Milwaukee to become the "Milwaukee Brewers" no one really knew exactly what was going to happen.


To say the early years in Milwaukee would be a bold faced lie. There wasn't a winning season until 1978 but yet there was something about this team that drew near sell out crowds to almost every game. When the Brewers acquired Aaron in 1974 off a trade, then owner Bud Selig knew he finally had a credible team with fan favorites like Robin Yount, Paul Molitor and "Stormin'" Gorman Thomas. The new mascot, Bernie Brewer, became more popular than most of the players. Only in a city and state known for beer and cheese, would the mascot be a brewer, one who brews beer. Bernie quickly became the face of the Brewers once established that after every Brewer home run he would slide down a slide into a barrel of beer. A barrel of beer, if that's not awesome I don't know what is. It's a different atmosphere in the America's Dairyland. Only here can you take off work in the middle of the afternoon to go tailgate 4 hours before a game and your boss will not only be okay with it, he/she will more than likely be shotgunning beers with you.

Once that first winnings season in '78 came around, things started to look up for the small team. 4 years later they found themselves in the World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals after winning the AL pennant. Were the Brewers going to win the World Series only 12 years after their first game in Milwaukee? After a phenomenal 10-0 victory in the first game it seemed possible, but with the loss of Rollie Fingers to injury before the post-season it was going to be difficult. The series came down to the final game, but alas the Cardinals were triumphant, sending the Brewers home emptied handed. Little did we know, it would be the only playoff appearance the Brew Crew would make until 26 years later. Even with 3-time MVP (shortstop, centerfield) Yount they couldn't get past the regular season, thus beginning the long losing years until 1997 when things took a different turn. The Milwaukee Brewers were going National once again.

Joining the National League for the first time since 1965, the Brewers organization were ready for a new change. County Stadium, while serving many wonderful years to the city of Milwaukee, was on it's last breath. A new stadium to be sponsored a named after long Milwaukee Miller brewery, was in the works. It was time for something up-to-date with the new team. After 4 years of building, Milller Park opened in 2001 with the newest feature of a retractable roof, something necessary in the wild climate of the mid west. Major improvments from the seats, to club level suites to even Bernie's Clubhouse out in the left field brought a new life to Brewers baseball. It wasn't until 2005 however that the team was able to record a non losing record (81-81) since 1992. There were still a lot of kinks to be worked out before they could really see success. This is where the players needed to step up.

The Brewers have by far the lowest pay roll in the majors. They don't have millions upon millions to sign players like Manny Ramirez, Ichiro Suzuki, or Stephen Strasburg but there is the appealing team atmosphere that draws some hidden talents to the organization. Once Mike Attanasio purchased the team in 2005 rebuilt the bridges back to the team from giving away all the season the '05 season closing game and bringing back the ever popular 'ball and glove' logo for retro Fridays. There was a new life in the players, they were playing the game not only because they were being paid, but because they loved the game. They looked like a group of buddies playing a game in the middle of the summer just for the heck of it. Wheels started turning together and after the 2006 season that started so well, ended with a 75-87 record, they only looked forward.

2007. Brewers were a hidden team with so much young talent, as unlikely as it was, they could possibly be a contender. At one point they led by 8 1/2 games behind the 50 home run season of 23 year old Prince Fielder, star pitching in Ben Sheets and NL Rookie of the Year Ryan Braun. the pressure seemed to get to the team, finishing the season out of the playoffs could have crushed them and at the end of May in the 2008 season it seemed like they weren't going anywhere. Cue CC Sabathia. The mind crushing Brewers puzzle was complete with the addition of the mighty pitcher going into the All-Star break 52-43 the Brewers were on a roll. Backed by the phenomenal 9-0 start by Sabathia with complete games and even hitting a few home runs himself they kept winning, and winning, and winning. Winning 20-28 games in August in style with back to back home runs, double home runs games from Braun and even surprise players like Corey Hart and Rickie Weeks coming out of the woodwork for walk off hits, was the 26 year playoff drought over? In simple words: yes it was.
Finally, something to be proud in Milwaukee besides beer, brats and racing sausages. They were going to the post season for the first time since 1982. It was almost to good to be true. Fans were coming to games again not just for the tailgate or to see the famous Klement's Racing Sausages in the middle of the 6th inning. People were coming once again for the game. Selling out game after game, it was surreal. However, the chance of making it past the future 2008 World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies when injuries plagued the team. That was it, the miraculous '08 season was done. Losing many players in the off season including Sabathia (it was bound to happen) made the 2009 season less than stellar besides Fielder breaking the club RBI season record. 2010 wasn't much better.

Here we are in 2011, with a good team, a newly signed Ryan Braun through 2020, star pitching in Zack Grienke, and the potential of having Fielder in his last season as a Brewer, there is yet another new spark in Miller Park. Flashes of brilliance are seen from game to game and if the club cant get all pistons firing, they're going to be a hard team to beat. They don't have a multi billion dollar organization, flashy press conferences when one player hurts his pinkie, nor do they have more World Series trophies than they can count, but the Brewers have something a little different than other teams. It can't really be described. Loyal fans, family atmosphere, and infamous racing sausages it's hard to hate the Brewers. Even if you don't want to, you can't help but get up and polka in your seat during the 7th inning stretch not for the traditional "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" but rather for the Milwaukee tradition of "Roll out the Barrel". Only in Milwaukee, land of brats and beer.