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The Milwaukee Brewers have a history that can be viewed from two distinct angles: as a franchise dating back to 1969, or as the Brewers specifically since 1970, following a sudden move from Seattle. This nuanced timeline was highlighted during broadcasts of the National League Championship Series and has been thoroughly documented by former Milwaukee Journal Sentinel sportswriter Tom Haudricourt in a 2020 book commemorating the team's 50th anniversary.
The journey from the Braves to the Pilots to the Brewers is a complex tale. On April 1, 1970, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Sidney Volinn in Seattle granted final approval for the sale of the struggling Seattle Pilots to Milwaukee Brewers Inc., a group headed by Bud Selig. This marked the beginning of major-league baseball in Milwaukee under the Brewers name.
Key Analysis
The Braves' departure from Milwaukee after the 1965 season left a void that took years to fill. The team had arrived from Boston in 1953 and won the World Series in 1957, but an ownership change in 1962 led to a move to Atlanta after the 1965 season. A criminal complaint alleging antitrust violations was filed in Milwaukee County Circuit Court to block the move, and an initial ruling required the National League to place a new team in Milwaukee in 1967, but that decision was later overturned.
Selig's group, which included local businessmen Edmund Fitzgerald, Ben Barkin, Robert Uihlein Jr., and Irwin Maier, worked tirelessly to bring baseball back. Selig lobbied for National League expansion teams, and in 1968, when NL President Warren Giles announced two new franchises, Selig thought he saw an 'M' forming on Giles's lips, believing Milwaukee was getting a team. Instead, Montreal and San Diego were added. Meanwhile, the American League added the Kansas City Royals and the Seattle Pilots.
Selig also attempted to purchase the Chicago White Sox from co-owner Art Allyn, but the American League vetoed the sale. Allyn then sold his share to his brother John in 1969. The Seattle Pilots, one of two AL expansion teams that year, were originally given until 1971 to prepare, but Kansas City's accelerated launch forced both teams to start in 1969. Led by former Rainiers pitcher and general manager Dewey Soriano, the Pilots struggled both on the field (64-98) and at the gate (678,000 fans), and the ownership group, Pacific Northwest Sports Inc., was underfunded. Soriano asked William R. Daley, owner of the Cleveland franchise, to cover much of the purchase price in exchange for becoming the largest shareholder, but the team still filed for bankruptcy. The sale to Milwaukee Brewers Inc. for $10.8 million was approved on April 1, 1970.
The transition happened in just six days. As spring training ended, the team's equipment truck driver paused in Las Vegas awaiting directions. With no time to order new uniforms, the Pilots' name and logo were removed from jerseys, 'Brewers' was stitched in their place, and an 'M' replaced the 'S' on caps. The team arrived late on April 5 to an impromptu pep rally at Mitchell Field and lost their opener 12-0 to the California Angels two days later at County Stadium before 37,237 fans.
Originally reported by yahoo.