Vintage Teams: Milwaukee Braves

While you may know the Milwaukee Brewers, you may not be aware of a team that pre-dated their existence: the Milwaukee Braves. Almost lost to the annals of history, this team played 13 seasons in “Brew City” in between an initial stint as the Boston Braves and their eventual move to Atlanta to become the franchise we know today.

How successful was this team? Were any significant players on their roster? What did their logo look like? We review the lost history of one of the sport’s vintage teams, the Milwaukee Braves, to learn more.

Where Did They Come From? Where Did They Go?

The Boston Braves followed the call of the West to Wisconsin. The team would eventually leave at the end of 1965 for Atlanta, Georgia â€“ irreparably breaking the hearts of many Wisconsinites. Finally, Bud Selig, former commissioner of baseball and native son of Milwaukee, would bring baseball back to the city through bankruptcy court. This gave broken-hearted souls a chance to love America’s pastime once again.

The team’s name was intended to mock the “aristocratic Bostonians” according to sports writers of the era. Their previous name, the Doves, was changed to the Braves after James Gaffney became the president of the franchise in 1911. His inspiration for the name came from an affiliation with an organization loosely named after Delaware Valley Indian chief Tammamend, Tammany Hall.

Team Logo

Who Were Their Stars?

Hank Aaron may have been the biggest star to suit up for the Milwaukee Braves, playing during 12 of their 13 seasons in the city. He also moved with the team to Atlanta to play another nine seasons. (He’d eventually spend his last two years playing for the Milwaukee Brewers!) In 1957, the Braves would win the World Series, and Hank Aaron would play a major role. During this season, he batted in 132 runs and sent 44 balls the distance. He won the league’s MVP award with over 70 percent of the first-place vote.

Oh, and he’s still capable of throwing a perfect first, which he did at the Atlanta Braves’ inaugural game at their new stadium, SunTrust Park.

The legendary @HenryLouisAaron. pic.twitter.com/XndMqktkYM

— MLB (@MLB) April 15, 2017

Aaron is one of five Braves players who ended up in the Hall of Fame. The other players were: Eddie Matthews, Phil Niekro, Red Schoendienst, and Warren Spahn.

Not Just a Name

While they belong to another city now, the Milwaukee Braves brought the joy of baseball to Atlanta, but not before turning many Midwesterners into lifelong fans of the game. These are the same fans thanking Bud Selig for bringing baseball back to “Brew City”. Whether you’re rooting the Atlanta Braves or the Brewers, get the best officially licensed merchandise and apparel at Fanatics.

Sources

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Atlanta Braves|Milwaukee Braves

Vintage Teams: Milwaukee Braves