Russell: On the Braves leaving Wisconsin 50 years ago
From Doug Russell at WIsports.com on October 22, 2014:
When it began, it was an epic love affair, the kind you rarely see. But while it was a star that burned spectacularly, it burned out almost as quickly as it started.
Today, most fans remember the Milwaukee Braves as grainy black-and-white superstars of the past, with names like Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews, and Warren Spahn – baseball royalty – that lifted Milwaukee from a rust-belt, blue-collar afterthought to a baseball Mecca, giving the city it’s only World Series championship in 1957 along the way.
The Braves first arrived in Milwaukee from Boston in 1953 because of our brand-new, publicly financed stadium and our untapped fan base.
In a cruel twist of irony, 13 years later, those exact same issues drove them to move to Atlanta.
On October 21, 1964, fifty years ago today, after months of rumors, the team made the announcement that broke Milwaukee’s heart.
Read the full article here: http://www.jrn.com/wtmj/wi-sports/milwaukee-brewers/The-Braves-said-theyre-leaving–50-years-ago-today-279938502.html
Originally published: October 22, 2014. Last Updated: October 22, 2014.