Bud Selig, hero to Milwaukee and villain to most of the rest of the baseball word, announced today that he'll retire in 2009 when his contract runs out.
Rather than rehash all the old Selig stories and complaints, let's instead revisit an amusing story about Selig and the nascent Brewers:
After a winter and spring full of court action, the Pilots reported for spring training under new manager Dave Bristol 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. [Pilots president Dewey] Soriano immediately filed for bankruptcy - a move intended to forestall any post-sale legal action. At the bankruptcy hearing a week later, Milkes testified there wasn't 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 agents and left Seattle without a team for the 1970 season. With this in mind, Federal Bankruptcy Referee Sidney Volinn declared the Pilots bankrupt on April 1 - six days before Opening Day - clearing the way for them to move to Milwaukee. The team's equipment had been sitting in Provo, Utah with the drivers awaiting word on whether to drive toward Seattle or Milwaukee.
However you may personally feel about Herb Kohl's best buddy and his tenure as Commissioner, you have to admit that your life would be much different had those trucks headed for Seattle instead of Milwaukee.
Poll
How do you feel?
This poll is closed
-
22%
Love him
(5 votes) -
27%
Hate him
(6 votes) -
22%
Ambivalent
(5 votes) -
27%
Brooks Kieschnick
(6 votes)