1970 Milwaukee Brewers season
Encyclopedia
The Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

 season
was a season in American baseball. The team finished fourth in the American League West
American League West
The American League West is one of three divisions in Major League Baseball's American League. The division currently has four teams, but it has had as many as seven teams before the 1994 realignment. Although its teams currently only reside along the west coast and in Texas, historically the...

 with a record of 65 wins and 97 losses, 33 games behind the Minnesota Twins
1970 Minnesota Twins season
Led by new manager Bill Rigney, the Minnesota Twins won the American League West with a 98-64 record, nine games ahead of the Oakland Athletics. The Twins were swept by the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Championship Series...

. This was the team's inaugural season in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...

, after spending its first year of existence in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...

.

Relocation to Milwaukee

During the offseason, Seattle Pilots
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

 owner Dewey Soriano
Dewey Soriano
Dewey Soriano was the part-owner of the Seattle Pilots baseball team of the American League in , the franchise's only year in Seattle....

 crossed paths with Bud Selig
Bud Selig
Allan Huber "Bud" Selig is the ninth and current Commissioner of Major League Baseball, having served in that capacity since 1992 as the acting commissioner, and as the official commissioner since 1998...

. They met in secret for over a month after the end of the season, and during Game 1 of the World Series
1969 World Series
The 1969 World Series was played between the New York Mets and the Baltimore Orioles, with the Mets prevailing in five games to accomplish one of the greatest upsets in Series history, as that particular Orioles squad was considered to be one of the finest ever...

, Soriano agreed to sell the Pilots to Selig for $10 million to $13 million (depending on the source). Selig would then move the team to Milwaukee and rename it the Brewers. However, the owners turned it down in the face of pressure from Washington's two senators, Warren Magnuson and Henry (Scoop) Jackson
Henry M. Jackson
Henry Martin "Scoop" Jackson was a U.S. Congressman and Senator from the state of Washington from 1941 until his death...

, as well as state attorney general Slade Gorton
Slade Gorton
Thomas Slade Gorton III is an American politician. A Republican, he was a U.S. senator from Washington state from 1981 to 1987, and from 1989 to 2001. He held both of the state's Senate seats in his career and was narrowly defeated for reelection twice as an incumbent: in 1986 by Brock Adams, and...

.

MLB asked Soriano and Daley to find a local buyer. Local theater chain owner Fred Danz came forward in October 1969 with a $10 million deal, but it fizzled when the Bank of California
Bank of California
The Bank of California was opened in San Francisco, California, on July 4, 1864, by William Chapman Ralston. It was the first commercial bank in the Western United States, the second-richest bank in the nation, and considered instrumental in developing the American Old West.-History:The ancestor of...

 called in a $4 million loan it had made to Soriano and Daley for startup costs. In January 1970, Westin Hotels
Westin Hotels
Westin Hotels & Resorts are an upscale hotel chain owned by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. As of 2011, Westin operated over 160 hotels in 37 countries.-History:...

 owner Eddie Carlson put together a nonprofit group to buy the team. However, the owners rejected the idea almost out of hand since it would have devalued the other clubs' worth. A more traditional deal came one vote short of approval.

After a winter and spring full of court action, the Pilots reported for spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...

 under new manager Dave Bristol
Dave Bristol
James David Bristol is a former manager in Major League Baseball in the 1960s and 1970s. He managed the Cincinnati Reds, Milwaukee Brewers, Atlanta Braves, and San Francisco Giants during this period....

 unsure of where they would play. The owners had given tentative approval to the Milwaukee group, but the state of Washington got an injunction on March 17 to stop the deal. Soriano immediately filed for bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....

 — a move intended to forestall any post-sale legal action. At the bankruptcy hearing a week later, general manager
General manager (baseball)
In Major League Baseball, the general manager of a team typically controls player transactions and bears the primary responsibility on behalf of the ballclub during contract discussions with players....

 Marvin Milkes
Marvin Milkes
Marvin Milkes was an American front office executive in three professional sports: Major League Baseball, soccer, and hockey...

 testified there was not enough money to pay the coaches, players and office staff. Had Milkes been more than 10 days late in paying the players, they would have all become free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....

s and left Seattle without a team for the 1970 season. With this in mind, Federal Bankruptcy Referee Sidney Volinn declared the Pilots bankrupt on March 31 — seven days before Opening Day
Opening Day
Opening Day is the day on which professional baseball leagues begin their regular season. For Major League Baseball and most of the minor leagues, this day falls during the first week of April. For baseball fans, Opening Day serves as a symbol of rebirth; writer Thomas Boswell once penned a book...

 — clearing the way for them to move to Milwaukee. The team's equipment had been sitting in Provo, Utah
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...

, with the drivers awaiting word on whether to drive toward Seattle or Milwaukee.

Coincidentally, Milwaukee had gained its previous team under circumstances similar to some of those surrounding this move. The Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....

 had moved from Boston, Massachusetts to Milwaukee only a few weeks before the 1953 season
1953 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Brooklyn Dodgers *All-Star Game, July 14 at Crosley Field: National League, 5-1-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Cangrejeros de Santurce *College World Series: Michigan...

 was to start.

Notable transactions

  • November 21, 1969: Mike Marshall was purchased from the Seattle Pilots by the Houston Astros
    Houston Astros
    The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...

    .
  • December 7, 1969: Diego Segui
    Diego Seguí
    Diego Pablo Seguí González is a Cuban former Major League Baseball pitcher. He was known for his forkball.During a 16-year baseball career, Seguí played for the Kansas City Athletics , Washington Senators , Oakland Athletics , Seattle Pilots , Boston Red Sox , and Seattle Mariners . He batted and...

     and Ray Oyler
    Ray Oyler
    Raymond Francis Oyler was an American Major League Baseball shortstop. He played for the Detroit Tigers , Seattle Pilots , and California Angels...

     were traded by the Seattle Pilots to the Oakland Athletics
    Oakland Athletics
    The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....

     for George Lauzerique
    George Lauzerique
    George Albert Lauzerique is a former right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who played for four years from 1967 to 1970 for the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics and the Milwaukee Brewers.-1967:...

     and Ted Kubiak
    Ted Kubiak
    Theodore Rodger Kubiak is a former switch-hitting infielder for the Kansas City Athletics, the Oakland Athletics, the Milwaukee Brewers, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Texas Rangers, and the San Diego Padres. He was a member of the Oakland Athletics teams that won three World Series in a row...

    .
  • January 15, 1970: Don Mincher
    Don Mincher
    -External links:***...

     and Ron Clark
    Ron Clark (baseball)
    Ronald Bruce Clark is an American Major League Baseball third baseman, shortstop, and second baseman. He played for the Minnesota Twins , Seattle Pilots , Oakland Athletics , Milwaukee Brewers , and Philadelphia Phillies...

     were traded by the Seattle Pilots to the Oakland Athletics for Phil Roof
    Phil Roof
    Phillip Anthony Roof is an American former professional baseball player, coach and minor league manager. He played for 15 seasons as a catcher in Major League Baseball in and from to , most notably for the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics and the Minnesota Twins...

    , Mike Hershberger
    Mike Hershberger
    Norman Michael Hershberger was an outfielder for the Chicago White Sox , Kansas City/Oakland Athletics , Seattle Pilots and Milwaukee Brewers ....

    , Lew Krausse, and Ken Sanders
    Ken Sanders
    For the football player of the same name see Ken Sanders .Kenneth George Sanders is a former professional baseball player...

    .

Opening Day starters

  • Max Alvis
    Max Alvis
    Roy Maxwell Alvis is a former Major League Baseball third baseman who played with the Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers . He batted and threw right-handed....

  • Tommy Harper
    Tommy Harper
    Tommy Harper is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder and third baseman. He played with the Cincinnati Reds , Cleveland Indians , Seattle Pilots , Milwaukee Brewers , Boston Red Sox , California Angels , Oakland Athletics , and the Baltimore Orioles .-High School...

  • Mike Hegan
    Mike Hegan
    James Michael "Mike" Hegan is an American former Major League Baseball first baseman and outfielder and later radio announcer for the Cleveland Indians. In 1969, Hegan hit the first home run in Seattle Pilots history in his first at-bat.He is the son of longtime Indians catcher Jim Hegan...

  • Steve Hovley
    Steve Hovley
    Stephen Eugene Hovley is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played from 1969-1973 for four different teams....

  • Lew Krausse
  • Ted Kubiak
    Ted Kubiak
    Theodore Rodger Kubiak is a former switch-hitting infielder for the Kansas City Athletics, the Oakland Athletics, the Milwaukee Brewers, the St. Louis Cardinals, the Texas Rangers, and the San Diego Padres. He was a member of the Oakland Athletics teams that won three World Series in a row...

  • Jerry McNertney
    Jerry McNertney
    Gerald Edward McNertney is an American former Major League Baseball catcher. He stood 6'1" and weighed 190 pounds in his playing days....

  • Russ Snyder
    Russ Snyder
    Russell Henry Snyder was an outfielder for the Kansas City Athletics , Baltimore Orioles , Chicago White Sox , Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers ....

  • Danny Walton
    Danny Walton
    Daniel James Walton is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played for the Houston Astros , Seattle Pilots , Milwaukee Brewers , New York Yankees , Minnesota Twins , Los Angeles Dodgers , Taiyo Whales , and Texas Rangers...


Notable transactions

  • April 1, 1970: Steve Barber
    Steve Barber
    Stephen David Barber was an American Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1960-1974 for seven different teams, but is noted primarily for his time with the Baltimore Orioles...

     was released by the Brewers.
  • May 11, 1970: Wayne Comer
    Wayne Comer
    Harry Wayne Comer is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder.Comer was originally signed in 1962 by the Washington Senators as an amateur free agent and then traded on March 23, 1963 to the Detroit Tigers for Bobo Osborne. Comer played the 1967 and 1968 seasons as a backup player for...

     was traded by the Brewers to the Washington Senators
    Texas Rangers (baseball)
    The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...

     for Hank Allen
    Hank Allen
    Harold Andrew "Hank" Allen is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Washington Senators , Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago White Sox ....

     and Ron Theobald
    Ron Theobald
    Ron Theobald is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. Theobald was signed as a free agent by the Chicago Cubs in 1964. Later that year, he was drafted from the Cubs by the Minnesota Twins in the First-Year Player Draft. In 1970, Theobald was purchased by the Washington Senators. Later that...

    .
  • May 18, 1970: John Donaldson
    John Donaldson (second baseman)
    John David Donaldson is an American former Major League Baseball second baseman. He played from 1966-1969 and in 1970 and 1974, primarily for the Athletics, in Kansas City and in Oakland.-External links:...

     was traded by the Brewers to the Oakland Athletics for Roberto Peña
    Roberto Pena
    Roberto Cesar Peña is a former Major League Baseball shortstop who played for the Chicago Cubs , Philadelphia Phillies , San Diego Padres , Oakland Athletics , and Milwaukee Brewers .He died of accidental alcohol poisoning.- External links :...

    .
  • June 4, 1970: John Tamargo
    John Tamargo
    John Felix Tamargo is a former Major League Baseball catcher and coach and long-time minor league manager. He played all or part of five seasons in the majors from until...

     was drafted by the Brewers in the 4th round of the secondary phase of the 1970 Major League Baseball Draft
    1970 Major League Baseball Draft
    -First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1970 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :The regular and secondary phases of the January draft proved more fruitful to major league clubs than the June draft...

    , but did not sign.
  • June 11, 1970: Steve Hovley
    Steve Hovley
    Stephen Eugene Hovley is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He played from 1969-1973 for four different teams....

     was traded by the Brewers to the Oakland Athletics
    Oakland Athletics
    The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....

     for Al Downing and Tito Francona
    Tito Francona
    John Patsy "Tito" Francona is a former outfielder/first baseman in professional baseball. He is the father of former Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona.-Career:...

    .
  • June 15, 1970: John O'Donoghue was traded by the Brewers to the Montreal Expos
    Washington Nationals
    The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...

     for José Herrera.
  • August 20, 1970: Floyd Wicker
    Floyd Wicker
    Floyd Euliss Wicker is a retired American professional baseball outfielder. Wicker attended East Carolina University; he batted left-handed, threw right-handed, stood and weighed ....

     was purchased by the Brewers from the Montreal Expos.

Roster

1970 Milwaukee Brewers
Roster
Pitchers

Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders

Manager

Coaches
(Third Base)
(First Base)
(bullpen)
(Pitching)

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Pos Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI
C 110 321 73 .227 13 37
1B 148 476 116 .244 11 52
2B 158 540 136 .252 4 41
3B 154 604 179 .296 31 82
SS 121 416 99 .238 3 42
LF 117 397 102 .257 17 66
CF 100 342 82 .240 7 31
RF 78 222 55 .248 4 20

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI
111 296 72 .243 6 22
114 276 77 .279 12 50
124 276 64 .232 4 31
40 135 38 .281 0 16
64 119 22 .185 1 12
62 115 21 .183 3 12
49 98 23 .235 1 6
44 76 21 .276 1 6
52 65 15 .231 0 4
28 61 14 .230 0 4
25 55 14 .255 2 6
13 17 1 .059 0 1
6 0 0 .--- 0 0

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player G IP W L ERA SO
37 216 13 18 4.75 130
29 128.2 6 15 6.02 76
17 94.1 2 10 3.34 53

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player G IP W L ERA SO
32 132 5 11 4.91 81
11 35 1 2 6.94 24

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Player G W L SV ERA SO
50 5 2 13 1.75 64
28 2 1 1 2.55 26
25 2 0 0 5.01 13
14 0 0 1 1.72 9
1 0 0 0 9.00 0

Farm system

Jacksonville affiliation shared with Montreal Expos
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...

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