Milwaukee Brewers History

On April 1, 1970, the Milwaukee Brewers, Inc. acquired the Seattle Pilots franchise and returned baseball to the state of Wisconsin. Headed by now baseball commissioner Bud Selig and Edmund Fitzgerald, the Pilots team was renamed to the Brewers based upon the city's history with the brewing industry. The nickname was an instant hit with fan as the first game of the new Brewers was played on April 7, 1970 at County Stadium before 37,237 fans.

Milwaukee played in the American League West in 1970 and 1971. In 1972 the Texas Rangers were born out of the relocated Washington Senators franchise. Thus the Brewers moved into the American League Eastern Division. Two of Milwaukee's favorite players made headlines in the mid 1970s. Hall of Famer Robin Yount begin his storied career for the Brew Crew on Aril 5, 1974 as the team's everyday shortstop. Yount would retire in the 1990s with over 3,000 hits. Hammering Hank Aaron returns to the city for his final two seasons to play for the Brewers. The Homerun King played for the Milwaukee Braves and hit his 755th and final homerun for the Brewers. Rookie of the year Paul Molitor begins his career in 1978. Like Yount, Molitor would also hit over 3,000 hits before retiring in the 1990s.

A pair of playoff appearances and an American League title greeted the Milwaukee Brewers in the 1980s. The 1982 Fall Classic saw the Brewers play valiently against their midwestern counterpart St. Louis. The series went to seven games with the Brewers falling 6-3 to the Redbirds in the game seven finale. In 1992 the Brewers narrowly missed the playoffs on the second to last game of the season as the eventual world champion Blue Jays clinched the American League East.

State, county, and city officials announced in conjunction with team president Bud Selig on August 19, 1995 that the $250 million financing plan would go forward for a new Brewers ball park.Two months later Governor Tommy Thompson signed a bill into law assuring that Major League Baseball would remain in America's Dairyland for the next 30 years. Construction on the new venue began November 9, 1996. One year later the team relocated to the National League Central as part of a realignment plan by Major League Baseball to create a 16-team N.L. and 14-team A.L. Milwaukee's Miller Park debuted as the new home of the Brewers on April 6, 2001.

World Series Appearances:

• 1982 vs. St. Louis Cardinals L. 3-4

Milwaukee Brewers All-Time Team Leaders

Milwaukee Brewers Retired Numbers