Milwaukee County Stadium was the home of the Milwaukee Braves of the National League, then the Milwaukee Brewers of the American AND National Leagues. This stadium was an enigma. It was built between the building boom of the early 20th century and the 1960's/1970's rush to erect multi-purpose disasters. Appropriately, it straddles both eras, not entirely successfully.
Review by Mike
County Stadium
Milwaukee, WI
It looked and felt like an old park in that the upper deck was fairly close to the field and support girders blocked the view from some of the seats. The seats below the upper deck were dark and cavern-like. It was like the parks that were to follow in that it was symmetrical and away from the city, basically surrounded by parking lots. It also felt big, managing somehow not to create any of the intimacy that you would expect from a stadium of its general design.
Despite these things, I kind of liked it, maybe just because it was old and soon to be demolished. It had a nice feel to it on a chilly July night with a small crowd of disinterested fans in attendance. Maybe I felt sorry for it because the new stadium, Miller Park, loomed over the outfield fence like the Grim Reaper come to claim its soul. Maybe I just liked the fish fry I got at the little fast food joint in the parking lot.
Regardless, the place did have some character, personified by the Weiner races and Bernie Brewer sliding into the beer mug beyond center field. I give it a sentimental three hot dogs in memoriam for a park that was the great Hank Aaron’s first home stadium as well as the home of the “True Blue Brew Crew” that powered their way to the World Series in 1982. County Stadium was demolished in 2001.
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2000
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