You might be thinking, “Didn’t we just celebrate 50 years of Brewers baseball a few years ago?”
Technically, yes. The Major League Baseball team that is the Milwaukee Brewers turned 50 in 2020. But the name, as many know, has been around for a lot longer than that. Since 1901, to be exact.
Other smaller clubs used the name Brewers, but none were on the professional level. The first professional Brewers club was a part of the inaugural season of the American League. And let’s just say it was a season to
forget for Brewers fans 125 years ago — they finished dead last, 35 1/2 games back of first place, behind powerhouses like the Chicago White Stockings, Boston Americans, and the Detroit Tigers.
Before there was American Family Field and County Stadium, there was the Lloyd Street Grounds, the first home of Brewers baseball. The ballpark was constructed in 1895 on the south end of West Lloyd Street, between North 16th Street and North 18th Street. It was praised for several things, most importantly, the accessibility. Milwaukee, at the time, had a world-renowned streetcar system, which dropped off pedestrians in front of the stadium. The cost of construction was $7,400, according to sabr.org, which, in today’s dollars, would be about $291,000.
Following the conclusion of the 1901 season, the Brewers were moved to St. Louis amid financial distress. Thus, the Browns were born.
It didn’t take long for baseball to return to Milwaukee, as a new edition of the Brewers joined the American Association and played in town from 1902 through 1952. The Crew began as a Class-A ballclub before becoming a Double-A team for almost 40 years. They saw a ton of success in the American Association, winning league titles in 1913 and 1914, and then not again until 1936.
For most of their time in the American Association, they weren’t affiliated with anyone, operating as an independent ball club. However, there were a few short years they spent with some big league clubs. Their first affiliation was with the same team that left Milwaukee the first time around, the St. Louis Browns. From 1946 until their final season in the American Association, they were associated with the Boston Braves. During their time with the Braves, they won two championships, one in 1947 and another in 1951.
During this time, Borchert Field was the home of Brewers baseball, which was located between North 7th, North 8th, West Chambers, and West Burleigh Streets. This ballpark was built in 1888 and stood for nearly 70 years before being demolished after the opening of County Stadium. Today, in its place is I-43, which was built on top of it.
The 1952 season would be the last time the world saw the Brewers until the Seattle Pilots moved to Milwaukee before the 1970 season, giving the Brewers another life.
Through all the ups and downs of professional baseball in Milwaukee, the Brewers have been the mainstay, and it continues to be over 125 years later.
