Long before Harvey's Wallbangers etched their name into the city's baseball lore, the Milwaukee Braves were the hometown heroes.
Their arrival in March 1953 kicked off a love affair between a city and team almost unheard of in this day and age and the passion reached its crescendo in 1957, when the Braves won the World Series.
The Braves' time in Milwaukee was special. The NBA, still in the primitive, plodding pre-shot clock days, was an afterthought. The Packers were stuck in the cellar at the midway point between their Curly Lambeau heyday and their Vince Lombardi glory years and pro football in general had yet to become mainstream.
Baseball was king and upon their arrival in Milwaukee, the Braves were immediately put on pedestals. The city was in the midst of a post-World War II economic explosion and when the news came that owner Lou Perini was moving the woebegone Boston Braves to town, Milwaukee was suddenly in the national spotlight.
"It was like Christmas every day," says Bob Buege, author of the book "The Milwaukee Braves: A Baseball Eulogy."
At first glance, the Braves were far from incredible. They finished 64-89 in 1952, seventh in the eight-team National League, and posted a winning season just four times in their last 14 years in Boston.
In Milwaukee, though, the Braves took off and quickly became one of the league's best teams thanks to veterans coming into their own like Warren Spahn and Lew Burdette and young stars in the making like third baseman Eddie Matthews.
A couple of shrewd moves helped bolster the roster and the Braves finished 92-62, the most victories for the franchise since the 1914 Miracle Braves. Fans showed up at brand new County Stadium in droves to cheer their heroes.
After drawing just 281,278 fans to Braves field in '52, the franchise stunned the rest of the National League as Milwaukee led the out-drew the other seven clubs with a total attendance of 1,826,397.
"It was a perfect marriage of the times and this incredible team," Buege says.
By 1957, the Braves were on top of the world. They beat the New York Yankees in a thrilling seven-game World Series. A year later, they'd again win the pennant but lost to the Yankees in another seven-game World Series. A three-way tie for the pennant in '59 went to the Dodgers after Milwaukee lost a playoff and the end was in sight.
A bitter legal battle couldn't save the Braves and the team moved to Atlanta after the 1965 season.
Decades later, the Braves' 13 amazing seasons in Milwaukee, haven't been forgotten. Along with the Milwaukee Braves Historical Association, the Brewers honored their big league predecessors in 2004 by establishing the Milwaukee Braves Wall of Honor at Miller Park.
The Wall of Honor, which received an upgrade in 2010, is located on the main concourse along the third-base side.
"I think it means more to them than they expected that it would," Buege says. "When you're young and you're used to being a celebrity and everybody knows you and gives you things, you're a big deal and think it's never going to end. But we all get old. As you get old, you start to think back to how lucky you were and that you want to leave something behind. This is perfect for them."
Prior to this season, seven players along with the 1957 World Series Champions have been honored with plaques. Two more players were added to the exhibit this week, first baseman Joe Adcock and first baseman Frank Torre.
Torre, younger brother to former Braves, Cardinals, Yankees and Dodgers manager Joe Torre, spent five years with the Braves, hitting .273 with 78 career doubles.
His two best seasons came during the Braves pennant-winning seasons in 1957 and 1958 when he batted .272 and .309, respectively.
An outstanding defensive player, he led all National League first basemen in fielding percentage in 1957 (.996) and 1958 (.994).
He was unable to attend the induction ceremony due to doctor's orders.
Adcock recorded the first base hit and scored the first run in the history of County Stadium. He hit .285 with 18 home runs and 80 RBI in 1953 and would remain a fixture in the lineup for the next 10 years, making the National League All-Star team in 1960 and '61.
On April 29, 1953, he became the first player to hit a home run into the center field bleachers at the Polo Grounds in New York. His greatest claim to fame came in 1954 when he homered four times in one game against the Dodgers at Ebbets Field.
He also played a key role in the infamous Harvey Haddix game on May 26, 1959. Haddix had pitched a perfect game into the 13th inning. Don Hoak's fielding error allowed Felix Mantilla to reach. Hank Aaron was intentionally walked, leaving two on for Adcock who belted what appeared to be a game-winning, three-run homer.
Aaron, however, thought the game ended when Mantilla crossed home plate and returned towards the dugout after touching second base. Adcock was called out for passing Aaron on the base paths and was eventually credited with an RBI double.
Adcock passed away in 1999 at the age of 71. Accepting on his behalf was his grandson, Jamie. Adcock's widow, Joanne, said that Adcock treasured his time in Milwaukee and considered himself fortunate to play on those teams.
"He loved it," Adcock says. "He really did. When he got to Milwaukee, he was so happy. It was truly a family. It was a special time for all of us."
That the Brewers would honor the former Braves has left a lasting impression.
"It's so very impressive that a team that is no longer gets so much recognition," Adcock says. "It says a lot about the Brewers to do something like this."
Adcock and Torre join the following players on the Wall of Honor:
Warren Spahn
Pitcher, 1953-1965
Inducted 2004
Johnny Logan
Shortstop, 1953-1961
Inducted 2005
Andy Pafko
Outfielder, 1953-1959
Inducted 2006
Bobby Thompson
Outfielder, 1954-1957
Inducted 2008
Bob Uecker
Catcher, 1962-63
Inducted 2009
Felix Mantilla
Infielder, 1956-1962
Inducted 2010
Eddie Matthews
Third baseman, 1953-1965
Inducted 2010
