I was flipping through the channels last night (all 12 of 'em…I just have the bare bones cable) and I happened upon the Midwest Sports Channel. They were broadcasting live coverage of the closing ceremony for Milwaukee County Stadium, home to my favorite baseball team, the Brewers. Now to be honest, I haven’t been a very loyal fan lately. I used to follow them religously up until the last players strike, but since then I haven’t really cared that much about baseball.
So anyway, Bob Uecker is on the field announcing the names of all the Brewers and Milwaukee Braves and Green Bay Packer players that came back for this last game, and before I know it, I’m getting choked up watching these legendary players walk out to home plate amid standing ovations. Some great names from history were there: Hank Aaron, Warren Spahn, and Lew Burdette from the Braves. Fuzzy Thurston, Willie Davis, and Jim Taylor from the Packers.
But what really got me was seeing the Brewer players I loved to watch when I was in grade school and high school. Paul Molitor, Robin Yount, Jim Gantner, Cecil Cooper, Gorman Thomas. I was suddenly transported back to a time when I truly loved baseball, when hot summer evenings were spent sitting on the patio with my dad listening to Bob Uecker call the games on the radio.
My son looked over at me and said “What’s the matter, Dad?”
“Oh, nothing.” He’s too young to understand. But I think that come next spring, I will start listening to the radio again. Heck, Uecker is still calling the games. And maybe my son will sit on the deck and listen with me.
Sniff! I know what ya mean, Smokie. Those were the good old days! I too, lost interest after the strike. But maybe next spring I’ll take the radio out in the garden again, like I used too…
Man I loved that team!! Ogilvie, Simmons, Moore, Stormin’ Gorman, Molitor, The Kid, Gantner, Moose, Caldwell, Rollie…
Stupid injury in the 82 series.
That being said, County Stadium was well past due for being torn down. Miller park will get me back to the games.
I too had abandoned Baseball after this last strike but Uecker drew me back in this year. He is an announcing God. If the game sucks he can just go off on a tangent while still calling the game. The man is great any Dopers that get the chance i highly recommend listening to Ueck call a game.
Now if we can just get a salary cap so we have a chance.
BTW - It would have rocked if they could have flown Ben Sheets in for the ceremony!!
Don’t know if you caught the coverage or not, but pretty near the whole durn early '80s team was there (my post was getting long, so I didn’t list all the names). But now that you mention it, also present were: Moose Haas, Mike Caldwell, Ben Oglivie, Charlie Moore, Rollie Fingers, Don Money, and (my all-time favorite baseball name) Sixto Lezcano.
Only got bits and pieces… Had volleyball at 6pm and we stayed and boozed for awhile afterwards but a bar is not the place to catch the true moment and everyone they trotted out.
Onward to Miller Park!!
BTW–Gazoo mentioned last night that the Brewers and Packers need to figure aout this stadium building/renovation a little better. They seem to like to run them close together.
And Milwaukee is to blame for public funding of stadiums is it not.
The scary thing is I actually have some hope for next year…
Yep. County Stadium was the first publicly funded ballpark. Cost a whopping $4.8 million when it was built in 1953 too. I think you can sign a utility infielder toa 2-year contract for that kind of money these days. I was at the game last night, and even though we had cruddy seats, it was really nice seeing all those greats get standing ovations from a packed house. I’m glad they’re build the new ballpark, but I’ll miss watching games in good old County Stadium.
*I HAVE BEEN SMOKE-FREE FOR:
Five months, two weeks, six days, 16 hours, 39 minutes and 11 seconds.
6947 cigarettes not smoked, saving $868.47.
Extra life with Drain Bead: 3 weeks, 3 days, 2 hours, 55 minutes.
*“I’m a big Genesis fan.”-David B. (Amen, brother!) **
Well, I got to go to the second-to-last game at County Stadium and I’ll admit I was a little emotional while walking away for the last time, but bring on Miller Park!
Trivia: County Stadium was the first major-league park built with lights.
I was at the game in the left field bleachers, and any time I started to think about missing the stadium, I only had to look over my left shoulder at Miller Park to forget it. I will miss being able to buy a general admission ticket and still have a good seat because the stadium is empty, but I won’t miss hearing about Brewer crowds of less than 10,000 for some games.
By the way Sledman, Ben Sheets was at the game and it was very cool. He came out between innings (5th or 6th I think), and they were playing the Olympic anthem while the fans started chanting U-S-A. That may been my favorite moment of the whole day.
Cool, I was working till 5 and then had to turn around for v-ball at 6 so I missed most of it. I got in the car when the score was 8-1 at the seventh inning stretch.