Historical Moments:
1953: More than 50 years after Milwaukee's first Major League team moved after just one year the Majors return as the Boston Braves begin a new era of franchise
relocation. The Braves make their debut in Milwaukee, and draw a then NL
record 1,826,297 fans to the brand-new Milwaukee County Stadium, and finished
second with a 92-62 record. Leading the way for the Braves were 3B Eddie Mathews
who belted 47 HR to lead the NL, and Warren Spahn who won a NL high 23 games.
1954: After Bobby Thompson breaks his ankle in spring training the Braves are forced to
play a young unproven infielder in the outfield. That rookie whose name was Hank
Aaron would go to hit 13 HR, as the Braves finish in 3rd place with an 89-65
record.
1955: The city of Milwaukee plays host to one of the most exciting All-Star Games in Baseball
history as the NL pulls out a 6-5 in 12 innings as, the Braves continued
to play solid baseball putting together their 3rd straight winning season while
finishing in 2nd place with an 85-69 record.
1956: The Braves are part of an exciting 3-team battle for the NL Pennant all season, as
Hank Aaron captures the Batting title. However in the end the experienced Brooklyn
Dodgers took the Championship, with Braves finish 1 game back in second with
a 92-62 record.
1957: Using their strong 2nd Place season to build off the Braves win the NL Pennant with
a 95-59 record. Leading the Braves towards the NL Championship was Hank Aaron
was the league MVP, leading the N.L. in homers and RBI, while Warren Spahn won
the Cy Young with 21 wins. However, the unsung heroes of the season were easily
Wes Covington and Bob "Hurricane" Hazle who, both replaced injured players,
Covington hit 21 homers, and Hazle batted .403 down the stretch. In the World Series
the Braves were matched up against the New York Yankees, The two teams split
the first 2 games in New York. With New York the Yankees the opener, 3-1, behind
Whitey Ford's five-hitter and the Braves winning Game 2, 4-2, thanks to Lew
Burdette's pitching and left fielder Wes Covington's rally-killing catch in
the second inning. After the Yankees took Game 3, the Braves were in trouble in
Game 4 after blowing a 4-1 lead in the 9th Inning. The Yankees would take a 5-4
lead in the 10th and the Braves were staring into the face of a 3-1 abyss. However,
Nippy Jones led of the bottom of the 10th getting hit in the foot with a
pitch. Jones was awarded 1st after showing the umpire a shoe polish smudge
on the baseball. After Felix Mantilla scored the tying run after pinch running
for Jones, Eddie Mathews ended the game with a 2-run HR to RF to even the series.
Lew Burdette shut down the Yanks again in Game 5 out dueling White Ford 1-0
to give the Braves a 3-2 series lead heading back to New York. After the Yankees
won Game 6 Burdette would get the call again and win his 3rd Series game to
capture the World Series MVP, as well as the World Championship for the Braves.
1958: In a year of duos for the Braves win their 2nd straight NL Championship with a 92-62
record. The 1-2 punch on the mound was Lew Burdette, and Warren Spahn who
combined for 42 wins, while Hank Aaron, and Eddie Mathews combined for 61 Homers
at the plate. In a World Series rematch with Yankees the Braves get off to a
flying start winning the first 2 games in Milwaukee behind pitching of Warren Spahn,
and Lew Burdette. Burdette would even contribute at the plate smacking a
3-run HR. After the Yankees took Game 3 the Braves took a 3-1 series lead as Warren
Spahn pitched 10 innings for his 2 series win. However, the Braves would wind
up losing the series as the Yankees bats came alive beating Burdette twice
in the final 3 games.
1959: With Eddie Mathews leading the league in HR, and Hank Aaron winning the batting title,
the Braves were once again one of the elite teams in all of baseball. However,
with an 86-68 record the Braves found themselves in a flatfooted tie with
Los Angels Dodgers at the end of the season. This would make a best 2 of 3 tie
breaking series necessary, but a 3rd straight World Series was not meant to be
ads the Dodgers swept the Braves in 2 straight.
1960: With new Manager Chuck Dressen, the Braves continue to be a strong pennant contender
finishing in 2nd place with a solid 88-66 record.
1961: Still pitching strong at the age of 40 Warren Spahn wins 21 games, on the way to
collecting his 300th career win. The Braves would go on to finish in 4th Place
with an 83-71 record.
1962: The Braves end up in the middle of the pack for the 2nd straight season finishing
in 5th place, but posting a respectable 86-76 record.
1963: Warren Spahn still going strong wins 23 games at the age of 42 to pass Eddie Plank
for career wins by Left Handed Pitcher, ad the Braves finish in 6th Place with
an 84-78 record. Leading the team at the plat was Hank Aaron, who just misses
the Triple Crown with 44 HR, and 130 RBI.
1964: The Braves, whose once proud box office records, were now a memory, contemplate another
move this time the city of Atlanta is the target, as they offer the Braves
use of a brand new state of the art stadium, in a region where they would be
the only Major League Team. The season also sees Warren Spahn show his age,
as the legendary lefty finishes with a 6-13 record, in his final season as
a Brave. Despite the talks of relocation, and Spahn's struggles the Braves finish
with a solid 88-74 record.
1965: Following the 1964 season, the Braves reached an agreement to move the team to Atlanta
for the 1965 season. However, Bud Selig a local used car salesman, and minority
Braves stockholder sued to block the move. Selig argued that a baseball
team owed it to its community to remain loyal, and not seek new homes, because
the loss of a baseball team meant the loss identity. A judge would grant an injunction
forcing the Braves to stay in Milwaukee for one more season, but in the
end the move to Atlanta was not going to be stopped. The Braves would go on to
finish with an 86-76 record, despite playing a lame duck season in Milwaukee.
During the club's 13 years in Milwaukee the Braves finished each season above .500.
While the Braves were on their way to Atlanta the city of Milwaukee, would
on be without Major League Baseball for 5 years, as Bud Selig the man who fought
to keep the Braves, would eventually bring a team back to Milwaukee in 1970.
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