SABR Digital Library: From the Braves to the Brewers: Great Games and Exciting History at Milwaukee’s County Stadium

From the Braves to the Brewers: Great Games and Exciting History at Milwaukee’s County Stadium
Edited by Gregory H. Wolf
Associate editors: James Forr, Len Levin, Bill Nowlin
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-9438-1622-4, $9.99
ISBN (paperback): 978-1-9438-1623-1, $19.95

This book rekindles memories of Milwaukee’s County Stadium through detailed summaries of 72 games played there, and insightful feature essays about the history of the ballpark. The process to select games was agonizing, yet deliberate. The book could have easily been filled with memorable games by just Hank Aaron or Warren Spahn.

About half of the games are dedicated to the Braves; the other half to the Brewers. Some of the summaries chronicle games that were memorable and historic when they occurred, such as Jim Wilson tossing the first no-hitter in County Stadium in 1954, the 1955 All-Star Game, the World Series contests of 1957, 1958, and 1982, and Robin Yount collecting his 3,000th hit in 1992. Other summaries recall great performances long forgotten, such as Bob Buhl’s 14-inning complete-game victory in 1953 and the Brewers’ two grand slams in one inning in an 18-1 rout of the Boston Red Sox in 1980.

The games highlight the accomplishments and heroics of not just readily recognizable stars, like Aaron, Spahn, Eddie Mathews, Cecil Cooper, Paul Molitor, and Yount, but also revive memories of players like Gene Conley, Del Crandall, and Wade Blasingame of the Braves and Bob Coluccio, Dale Sveum, and Steve Woodard of the Brewers. Also included are great performances by the Braves’ and Brewers’ opponents, like Willie Mays’ four homers in 1961 and Nolan Ryan’s 300th victory in 1990. Twelve feature essays round out the volume and provide context for the stadium’s history. Topics include the stadium’s construction, the Braves’ move to and departure from Milwaukee, the Chicago White Sox’ home games at County Stadium, the Seattle Pilots’ relocation to Milwaukee, and the stadium’s demolition.

Members of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) researched and wrote all of the essays in this volume. These uncompensated volunteers are united by their shared interest in baseball history and resolute commitment to preserving its history. Without their unwavering dedication this volume would not have been possible.

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Below: Find the SABR Biography and memorable game stories
from From the Braves to the Brewers: Great Games and Exciting History at Milwaukee’s County Stadium

 

SABR Biography

County Stadium served as the home stadium for the Milwaukee Braves from 1953 to 1965 and the Milwaukee Brewers from 1970 to 2000. (Courtesy of the Milwaukee Brewers)

Click here to read more about County Stadium at the SABR BioProject


Game Stories

April 10, 1980: Sixto Lezcano belts grand slam for walk-off win on Opening Day

April 12, 1980: Brewers’ Cooper, Money belt two grand slams in one inning

April 14, 1953: Milwaukee Braves christen County Stadium with ceremonies, civic pride, and Hollywood-style extra-inning victory

April 17, 1974: Gaylord Perry goes 15 innings; ‘Macaroni Pony’ hits walk-off homer for Brewers

April 17, 1999: Brewers have Cubs’ goat with 5-run rally in 9th

April 19, 1987: Dale Sveum’s walk-off home run on Easter Sunday gives Brewers a 12-0 record

April 22, 1964: McCovey’s three homers sink Braves in home opener

April 25, 1985: Brewers score last 10 runs of game, win on Ted Simmons’ grand slam

April 28, 1961: Braves’ Warren Spahn pitches second career no-hitter

April 30, 1961: The Say Hey Kid’s four-homer game

April 7, 1970: Milwaukee Brewers make their debut at County Stadium

April 8, 1976: Hammerin’ Hank knocks in three in his final Opening Day

April 9, 1953: Braves get a wet welcome to Milwaukee

August 11, 1961: Braves’ Warren Spahn wins his 300th career game

August 18, 1960: Lew Burdette tosses a no-hitter for Braves

August 22, 1953: Johnny Logan’s walk-off single secures Bob Buhl’s 14-inning gem

August 25, 1987: Paul Molitor’s hitting streak reaches 39 games

August 26, 1987: Rick Manning’s walk-off single preserves Teddy Higuera’s 10-inning shutout

July 12, 1955: Stan Musial seals Milwaukee’s first baseball All-Star celebration

July 12, 1962: Hank Aaron’s walk-off grand slam caps Braves’ comeback victory

July 15, 1954: Down by five runs in ninth, Braves rally to win

July 15, 1975: In Milwaukee, NL wins fourth straight All-Star Game

July 19, 1956: Joe Adcock’s forever record of 8 RBIs at County Stadium

July 20, 1976: Hank Aaron hits his 755th and final career home run

July 27, 1979: Cecil Cooper’s walk-off caps off 3-homer night

July 28, 1997: Brewers’ Steve Woodard whiffs 12 in first big-league start

July 29, 1973: Brewers’ Boomer drives in six to sweep the Yankees

July 31, 1990: The Ryan Express wins 300th career game

July 4, 1960: Braves’ rally supplies the fireworks on Independence Day

July 8, 1979: Ben Oglivie’s 3-homer outburst sparks Brewers sweep

July 8, 1990: Brewers score County Stadium-record 20 runs in rout of Angels

June 12, 1954: An unlikely candidate: Jim Wilson hurls first no-hitter at Milwaukee’s County Stadium

June 16, 1969: Chicago White Sox defeat Seattle Pilots in Milwaukee

June 16, 1991: Greg Vaughn’s walk-off slam gives Brewers win

June 2, 1954: Jackie Robinson ejected in Brooklyn’s rain-shortened win

June 26, 1977: Cecil Cooper’s walk-off grand slam propels Brewers

June 30, 1957: Eddie Mathews’ walk-off blast leads Braves to sweep

May 1, 1975: Hank Aaron breaks the Babe’s RBI record

May 12, 1955: Crandall’s walk-off homer in 12th gives Conley complete-game victory

May 14, 1983: Good things come in threes for Brewers’ Ben Oglivie

May 15, 1973: Davey May’s 17th-inning blast hoists Brewers to victory

May 21, 1963: Reds’ Jim Maloney strikes out eight consecutive Braves batters

May 25, 1953: Braves’ Max Surkont sets modern consecutive strikeout record

May 26, 1956: Braves walk off in 11th to preserve Crone’s complete-game gem

May 26, 1959: Harvey Haddix pitches 12 perfect innings, loses in 13th

May 27, 1958: Braves win on Adcock’s walk-off pinch homer

May 28, 1954: Milwaukee’s Lew Burdette pitches complete game in 12-inning walk-off win

May 4, 1961: Joe Adcock’s walk-off grand slam wins it for Braves

May 5, 1965: Mathews rips walk-off double in 14th; Blasingame goes the distance for Braves

October 1, 1958: Spahn’s 10-inning complete game beats Yankees

October 10, 1982: Milwaukee Brewers rally in Game Five to reach World Series

October 15, 1982: Willie McGee’s two homers sinks Brewers in Game Three of 1982 World Series

October 16, 1982: Harvey’s Wallbangers explode to take Game Four of World Series

October 17, 1982: Robin Yount’s four hits lead Brewers to win in Game Five

October 2, 1958: Braves hammer Yankees in Game 2 of World Series

October 3, 1981: Brewers win half-season championship, reach postseason for first time

October 5, 1957: Yankees’ Tony Kubek comes home, hits two World Series home runs in Milwaukee

October 6, 1957: Spahn goes the distance; Mathews belts two-run homer in 10th to tie Series

October 7, 1957: Fidgety Lew Burdette befuddles Yankees in World Series shutout

October 8, 1958: Yankees score two in 10th to send World Series to Game 7

October 9, 1958: Yankees rally late to beat Braves in Game 7 of World Series

September 11, 1955: Crandall’s two-out walk-off grand slam wins it for Braves

September 14, 1991: When Cecil Fielder’s home run left the ballpark

September 16, 1960: Warren Spahn no-hits Phillies, wins 20th game of season

September 20, 1982: Vuckovich hurls 11-inning complete game as Brewers rally to win

September 22, 1965: Braves bid farewell to Milwaukee

September 23, 1957: Hank Aaron’s walk-off home run gives Milwaukee Braves the flag

September 23, 1998: Brewers overcome 7-0 deficit, win on bases-loaded, walk-off error

September 25, 1960: Eddie Mathews’ walk-off homer wins battle vs. Pirates, though war is lost

September 28, 1959: Dodgers win first game of 1959 NL playoff behind Larry Sherry’s strong relief

September 28, 2000: Milwaukee County Stadium hosts its final game

September 9, 1992: Robin Yount collects 3,000th hit


Contributors include: Alan Cohen, Bill Nowlin, Bob Buege, Brian P. Wood, Chip Greene, Dan Fields, Dennis D. Degenhardt, Dennis Van Langen, Doug Welch, Frederick C. Bush, Greg Erion, Gregg Hoffmann, Gregory H. Wolf, J.G. Preston, Jeff Findley, Joe Schuster, Joel Rippel, John Bauer, John Bauer, Joseph Wancho, Lee Kluck, Mark Miller, Mark Pestana, Mark S. Sternman, Mike Huber, Mike Lynch, Norm King, Phillip Bolda, Richard “Dixie” Tourangeau, Richard Riis, Rick Schabowski, Robert C. Trumpbour, Ron Briley, Saul Wisnia, Scott Ferkovich, Stephen D. Boren, Steve West, Steven Kuehl, Stew Thornley, Tom Mason, and Tom Rathkamp.

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