{image1} The Brewers finally finished dotting the I's and crossing the T's on the paperwork, so MLB owners will likely approve the team's sale to a group headed by Mark Attanasio Thursday.
Let the new era in Milwaukee baseball begin. It's an exciting time if you're a baseball fan.
Attanasio already has demonstrated he'll allow GM Doug Melvin to make sound baseball decisions without as many concerns about the financial impact. That can only help the quality of baseball at Miller Park, and eventually the bottom line.
Ironically, while Melvin was making some of those decisions, this writer was asked to review a manuscript, "Baseball in Beertown: America's Pastime in Milwaukee." It's a book that is being compiled by Todd Mishler and will be published by Prairie Oak Press, a division of Trails Media Group in Black Earth.
Mishler has done a thorough job of tracing local baseball history, especially that of the Braves and Brewers. You could not help read the manuscript without realizing that Attanasio is the just latest addition to a rich tradition in Milwaukee.
The American Association Brewers, and teams in the Negro League and others, started the tradition. The Braves' years were considered miraculous in many ways. The Brewers, despite their lack of winning in the last 12 years, have had their successes.
Milwaukee might not have as rich of tradition in baseball as cities like New York, Boston, Chicago or St. Louis, but for its size and location, it has one that local fans can be proud of.
It hasn't always been easy for baseball here. Certainly, the Braves' departure caused much pain and in some ways left a permanent scar on the town. The Brewers have struggled to survive at times, and as the era of high-priced talent grew, did not stay competitive on the field.
But, people who loved the game kept it alive here. Even though Selig-bashing has been popular in recent years, Bud Selig and his family led that group of people and deserve credit. Without them, Attanasio would not have had a team in Milwaukee to buy.
The Selig ownership group, however, had become a Ma and Pa general store operation in a world of big box corporate sports franchises. Attanasio and his partners seem to be better equipped to compete in that world.
As for those who fear "outside" ownership of the Brewers, let's learn from Mishler's book and local baseball history. Another "outside" owner, of Italian descent like Attanasio, brought the Braves here in 1953. The Perini family moved the team from Boston and oversaw its success.
Many historians feel that if the Perini family had retained ownership, and Fred Miller of Miller Brewing had not died in a plane crash, that the club would never have moved to Atlanta.
In his brief appearances before the media, Attanasio seems to appreciate the rich tradition of baseball in the town and state, understand the scars and paranoia left by the Braves' move, realize the challenges of running a so-called "fragile" franchise and be eager to build a winner right here in Milwaukee.
Hot Tix
The Bucks host Washington at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Bradley Center. In case you haven't been paying attention, the Bucks have slowly healed from some injuries. Keith Van Horn was activated Tuesday.
Toni Kukoc, Daniel Santiago and Erick Strickland, who also had spent considerable time on the injured list, preceded Van Horn on the active list in the last couple weeks. So, maybe we'll start to see more glimpses of the team we watched last season.
In college basketball, Marquette plays at Memphis Thursday night and hosts South Florida at 8 p.m. Saturday at the BC.
UWM and UW-Green Bay meet in an intrastate and Horizon League rivalry at 1 p.m. Sunday at the U.S. Cellular Arena. UW hosts Michigan State at 12:30 p.m. Sunday at the Kohl Center in a game that will be on CBS. The Badgers will be going after their 38th straight home win -- the longest streak in the NCAA -- after a big win over Ohio State at the KC Tuesday night.
The Wave hosts Philadelphia at 7:05 p.m. Saturday in a Major Indoor Soccer League game at the Arena. The Admirals are on the road in American Hockey League action this weekend.
Turning back to baseball, the Brewers will again hold their On Deck event from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22, at Brookfield Square. The free event is part of the annual winter tour of the state.
For those readers out of the Metro Milwaukee area, the tour will include: Jan. 18 -- Appleton; Jan. 24 -- Kenosha, Janesville and West Allis; Jan. 25 -- Fond du Lac, Eau Claire, Wausau and La Crosse; Jan. 26 -- Marshfield, Stevens Point and Green Bay; and Jan. 27 -- Wisconsin Rapids, Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Oshkosh and Madison. For details of these appearances, check your local media or go to milwaukeebrewers.com.
Finally, wrapping it up with baseball, this writer will speak about the Selig legacy and other Milwaukee baseball topics at the local chapter meeting of Society for American Baseball Research Jan. 29 at the Tippecanoe Library. SABR is a great organization of people devoted to researching the history and contemporary issues of America's pastime. If you are interested, contact Rick Schabowski at RICKIU76@aol.com.
