:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/16063369/oglivieben.0.jpg)
On this day in 1979 the Brewers swept a doubleheader against the Tigers at County Stadium. Ben Oglivie was the star of the first game, going 3-for-3 with a walk and three home runs in a 5-4 win over his former team. He was the first Brewer ever to go deep three times in a game.
Oglivie's first blast was a solo shot leading off the second to give the Crew a 1-0 lead. He led off the sixth with another long ball to make the score 3-2, and tacked on some insurance runs with a two-run shot in the seventh. This was the first of three three-homer games for him, and the first of 18 in franchise history.
Oglivie finished second on the Brewers with 29 home runs in 1979, but went on to lead the AL with 41 in 1980. His 176 career homers as a Brewer are the seventh most in franchise history.
With help from the B-Ref Play Index, happy birthday today to:
- 1970-72 Brewer Ken Sanders, who turns 72. We covered his birthday in this space last year.
- Seattle Pilot Bucky Brandon, who turns 73.
- 1959-61 Milwaukee Brave Al Spangler, who turns 80.
Today is also the fifth anniversary of CC Sabathia's Brewer debut. We covered that event in this space two years ago.