Tag: Milwaukee Brewers

Aug 21: First to 300 saves

AUGUST 21, 1982 | SEATTLE, WASHINGTON • Milwaukee Brewers reliever Rollie Fingers made it exciting, but managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and become the first major leaguer to reach 300 career saves on this date in 1982. The term “Closer” still wasn’t widely used at the time. In fact Fingers, like many ace relievers, entered the game in the 8th trying to salvage a shutout being thrown by Brewer starter Doc Medich agains the Seattle Mariners. This was when the Brewers were in the American League.

The only runs given up by Brewer pitching were given up by Fingers, but he managed to keep Seattle from getting any closer, and the Brewers won 3-2. It was Fingers 28th save of the year, a year, by the way, in which Milwaukee ended up in the World Series, losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven.

Mariano Rivera is the career saves leader with 652, all with the New York Yankees. Fingers is 14th on the all-time list with 341 saves.

Contributing Sources:
August 21, 1982 box score/play-by-play
The Closer
Career saves

June 24 in baseball history – the return of stormin’ Gorman

JUNE 24, 1983 | MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN  –  More than 46,000 fans squeezed into Milwaukee County Stadium on this date in 1983 to witness the return of Stormin’ Gorman – other team’s center-fielder. In an outpouring of affection rarely shown pampered, high-salaried pro athletes – especially from the opposing team – Milwaukee Brewer fans showed their appreciation for one of their most beloved players, Gorman Thomas . He had been traded to the Cleveland Indians 18 days earlier.

Fans were furious that Thomas was no longer a Brewer. Early in his career fans were often furious that Thomas was a Brewer. He had a low batting average and struck out a lot. During the 5-season span from 1974 – ’78, Thomas was up and down from the big team to the minors, spending the entire ’77 season at Spokane. He finally had a break out year in 1978, hitting 32 home runs, and driving in 86 runs. Thomas also turned out to be an excellent centerfielder. During the 5 seasons from ‘78 to ‘82, Thomas averaged 35 home runs and 98 runs batted in. He was a key part of the Brewers’ only World Series team in 1982.

It was as much Thomas’ persona and early failures as his slugging that endeared him to Brewer fans. He was the epitome of Milwaukee – a tough looking, but easy-going, lunch pail carrying, mutton chopped throwback who could have been any one of thousands of working stiffs in this blue collar town if he wasn’t a major league baseball player.

Thomas was as devastated by the 1983 trade from the Brewers as the fans were infuriated. It brought him to tears, but he got a chance to finish his career as a Brewer in 1986. ‘Stormin’ Gorman Thomas was inducted into the Brewer Walk of Fame in 2004.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
The Milwaukee Journal, June 25, 1983, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The Baseball Cube: Gorman Thomas

Nov 17th in baseball history ST. BROWNS fade to BLACK

NOVEMBER 17, 1953 |ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI • On this date in baseball history stockholders of the beleaguered St, Louis Browns franchise voted to change the team’s name from the St. Louis Browns to the Baltimore Orioles.

The name change was the final step in the transition from former owner Bill Veeck to a new group of owners which would start the 1954 baseball season near the shores of Chesapeake Bay rather than the banks of the Mississippi river.

The Browns began as the Milwaukee Brewers in 1901 – a charter American League franchise – not to be confused with the present day Brewers. The team stayed only one year in Milwaukee, moving to St. Louis in 1902 and becoming the Browns, which was the color of their uniforms.

In all the years spent in St. Louis (and one in Milwaukee) the Browns went to the post-season once. They won the American League Pennant in 1944, losing the World Series to the cross-town St. Louis Cardinals.

The franchise’s change of scenery did them good. The Baltimore Orioles have been to the post-season more than a dozen times since moving to Baltimore. They won the World Series in 1966, 1970 and 1983.

CONTRIBUTING SOURCES:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 18, 1953
World Series results year-to-year 
More on the St. Louis Browns