Milwaukee's Daily Magazine Saturday, July 4, 2009
Today
Hi: 74
Lo: 57
Sun
Hi: 80
Lo: 61
Mon
Hi: 78
Lo: 60
Section Sponsor
Article Tools
Print this Article
Make text larger
Related Twitter Posts

  • tkonz2:
    Glad I am in WI today so I can watch the #Brewers game on #FSWisconsin or hear #Bob Uecker call the plays on WTMJ. Ah, to be home!!

  • SunsetPete:
    @AroundTheHorn Cubs? What the eff?? They can barely win but they crush the Brewers? Buy or sell them getting hot?

  • wyssaj01:
    @AroundTheHorn Reali, I got a buy or sell for ya! Buy or Sell Cubs/Brewers series as a make or break for the Cubs?

  • chelseytay:
    It's a race between the #Brewers and the #TimberRattlers.. both started at 7:05.. Both are in the 8th inning.. T-Rats are 1 or 2 outs ahead

  • jrzimmer:
    Ouch, I hope the Brewers get it all out of ther system tonight and then go on a 6 game winning steak or dare I wish for 9.


Follow us on Twitter ...
In Sports
Brewers' home opener had special meaning in '78
Paul Molitor and the Brewers beat the Orioles in the 1978 opener.
By David Linden, Special to OnMilwaukee.com
Photography by Milwaukee Brewers

Published April 4, 2008 at 5:05 a.m.
Tags: brewers, jerry augustine, larry hisle, sixto lezcano, eduardo rodriguez, county stadium, 1978, opening day, bamberger

Opening day is a time for renewal. It is a time of fresh starts, high hopes, cockeyed optimism and excitement.

All those elements will be evident this afternoon at Miller Park, just as they were 30 years ago at County Stadium when the Brewers' franchise opened a new season and a new era.

On April 7, 1978, the Brewers opened their ninth season with a game against American League East rival Baltimore. After a one-day weather delay, a crowd of 38,777 gathered to watch the explosive, new-look Brewers -- sporting pinstripe uniforms and a "ball and glove" logo -- earn a resounding 11-3 victory.

Brewers starting pitcher and Wisconsin native Jerry Augustine pitched 8 1/3 innings to record the victory and Eduardo Rodriguez got the final two outs in the ninth.

"I think the one thing about being an opening day pitcher that is always kind of neat is that (being chosen) shows a sign of respect for what you've done for the ballclub and your value to the ballclub, and I respected that very highly," said Augustine, who finished 1978 with a 13-12 record and a 4.54 earned run average, in a recent interview.

"This was a young team that was coming of age and we had some really good young players so it was just an honor to be a part of that club. But to be named the starting pitcher that day, it just gives you that opportunity to get us started in the right direction. I think every pitcher loves that opportunity to be noted as the person who starts a team in the right direction."

Augustine received the opening day assignment from new Brewers manager George Bamberger, a 54-year-old Bronx native who left his job as the Orioles' pitching coach to take over the dugout in Milwaukee.

Though he had an amazing run of success in Baltimore, Bamberger never regretted his decision. He was honored as the Manager of the Year in 1978.

When speaking about Bamberger's strengths as a manager Augustine said the first-year Brewers' skipper "had a real knack of getting along with players.

"He'd try to take the game of baseball on a Major League level and put it in the easiest terms as he could for the players and was a good guy to play for," Augustine said.

 Page 1 of 3 (view all on one page)

Next >>




More Information ...
Milwaukee Brewers
One Miller Park Way
Milwaukee, WI 53214
(414) 902-4000
http://brewers.com

Event information:
Milwaukee Brewers Home Game
Saturday, April 5, 12 p.m. - 11:59 p.m.

1 comment about this article.
Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...
Posted by Preview
Dusty_Bottoms Good times. However, I don't believe it's possible for a pitcher to record a ...

OnMilwaukee.com is part of the In Click Network. Other In Click sites include: 30RockReport.com | Behind The Scenes at OnMilwaukee.com | BetterRecipes.org | Bimmer Digest | Brain Brawn & Body | BrewCityBeats.com | Brewcitybigscreen.com | BritPop Rocks | Brooklynbanter.com | CactusLeagueReport.com | Caffeinateddigest.com | Culinary Piedmont | Cycling Chainring | Daily Lost Update | Daily Milwaukee News | Daily Spa | DannyGokeyMilwaukee.com | Dogs Blogs | EarthFueled.com | Edible Wisconsin | Gadget Deals and Steals | GolfLinksWisconsin.com | H1N1 Alerts | H1N1 Blog | H1N1 Prevention | H1N1 Reporter | H1N1 Tracker | HogEnthusiast.com | Informed Runner | iPhone Daily Report | Man United Nation | Milwaukee Brewers Nation | Milwaukee Bucks Blog | Milwaukee Dad | Minnesota Wild Nation | MomMilwaukee.com | My Super Stocks | MyGayMilwaukee.com | MyHangoverHelper | News on Draught | NY Mets Nation | OnAtlantaGA.com | OnAustinTX.com | OnBaltimoreMD.com | OnBirminghamAL.com | OnBostonMass.com | OnBuffaloNY.com | OnCharlotteNC.com | OnCincinnati.com | OnClevelandOH.com | OnColumbusOH.com | OnDallas.com | OnDCmetro.com | OnDenverCO.com | OnDetroitMI.com | OnFortLauderdale.com | OnGreenBay.com | OnHartford.com | OnIndianapolisIN.com | OnKansasCityMO.com | OnLosAngelesCA.com | OnLouisvilleKY.com | OnMadison.com | OnMemphisTN.com | OnMiamiFLA.com | OnMilwaukee.com Cars | OnMilwaukee.com Metro Headlines | OnNashvilleTN.com | OnNewOrleansLA.com | OnNYCny.com | OnOrlandoFL.com | OnPalmSprings.com | OnPhiladelphia.com | OnPhoenixAZ.com | OnPittsburgh.com | OnPortlandOR.com | OnProvidence.com | OnRichmondVA.com | OnSacramento.com | OnSaltLakeCity.com | OnSanAntonioTX.com | OnSanDiegoCA.com | OnSanFran.com | OnSanJose.com | OnSeattleWA.com | OnSinCity.com | OnStLouis.com | OnStPetersburg.com | OnTampaBay.com | OnTucsonAZ.com | OnTwinCities.com | OnWichita.com | OnWindyCity.com | Packers Posts | Porsche 911 Fans | PriusFans.com | Roller Derby Network | SnuggieFans.com | SummerfestRocks.com | Swine Flu China | Swine Flu Reporter | The 24 Reporter | The Barack Obama Fan Club | The Brilliant Manager | The Comic Book Reporter | The In Click | The Office Fan Blog | TheHDTVReporter.com | TheNetbookBlog.com | TheNewParentBlog.com | Trueguitarheroes.com | Vintage Mets | VW Busses | WaukeshaWeekly.com | Weekly Media News | WisWomen.com | Woodworker Digest