Miller Park Desktop
PhotoMint Miller Park Aerial
Poster Framed or Unframed
Brewers Infield Dirt Drink Coasters - (Set of 4)
Brewers 8x10 Game Used Dirt
Plaque Miller Park Poster
Sizes Vary, Framed or Unframed
Milwaukee Brewers Ticket
Frame
Miller Park Medallion and
Infield Dirt Coin
Limited to 5,000 Milwaukee
Brewers First Pitch at Miller Park Poster
Home of two baseball
teams during its tenure, County Stadium was the first stadium built
in the second half of the 20th century. A new stadium for
the Milwaukee area was first discussed in 1909, but talks did not
intensify until 40 years later. In 1949, several sites were proposed
as possible sites for a stadium. The site chosen was a garbage dump
and construction of the stadium began October 19, 1950. The ballpark
was built of steel and concrete, and would house baseball, football
and other events. It was constructed so if Milwaukee received a
professional baseball team, the stadium could be expanded.
Construction on the stadium was slow because of labor strikes and
shortages of materials. Two MLB teams became interested in moving to
the new stadium, the St. Louis Browns and the Boston Braves. The
Boston Braves received permission and moved to Milwaukee for the
1953 season.
Construction
was finally completed and the ballpark was named County Stadium. The
Boston Braves were renamed the Milwaukee Braves and opening day for
the team at County Stadium was on April 14, 1953. County Stadium had
a capacity of 28,111 that consisted of a double decked grandstand
down the first and third base lines, a lower level of seating that
extended to the foul poles and bleachers were in various parts of
the outfield. The upper grandstand consisted of wooden bleachers.
A
state of the art Miller High scoreboard was located in right field
with a Longines clock on top. The Green Bay Packers (NFL) began playing at County
Stadium on September 27, 1953. In order for the baseball diamond to
become a football gridiron, the bleachers behind the left field wall
were moved into the playing area in left field.
With soaring
attendance at County Stadium, the grandstands that were single
decked down the foul lines were double decked by the 1954 season,
increasing the capacity to 43,340. Trees were planted in the batters
backdrop in centerfield and a picnic area known as the Braves
Reservation was added between the outfield bleachers in 1960. By
1959 attendance at County Stadium began to drop. In 1964 the Braves
began discussing moving to Atlanta and succeeded. Their last game at
County Stadium was on September 12, 1965. Without baseball, the
Packers were the only main tenant and they only played half of their
games at County Stadium. A group including Bud Selig began trying to
get MLB to expand to Milwaukee. They were unsuccessful and after
five years
without
baseball, Bud Selig bought the Seattle Pilots and moved them to
Milwaukee for the 1970 season.
After the 1970 season,
County Stadium underwent few changes. County Stadium became known
for its mascot Bernie the Brewer, his beer barrel, chalet and slide
that was added in 1973 behind the bleachers in centerfield. In 1974
the press box was remodeled and a new scoreboard was installed.
During the early 1990s the Brewers began lobbying for a new
ballpark. Construction for their new ballpark,
Miller Park began in 1996. Fans visiting County Stadium in the
last years of its existence saw Miller Park rise beyond the
bleachers in the outfield. Other than being entertained by Bernie
the Brewer, racing sausage figures ran around the stadium during the
game. The last year for County Stadium was scheduled for 1999 but a
crane accident at Miller Park did not allow construction to be
completed by the 2000 season. The final game at County Stadium was
on September 28, 2000. County Stadium was demolished the following
winter.
FACTS & FIGURES
-Tenants:
Milwaukee Braves/Brewers (MLB), Green Bay Packers (NFL)
-Capacity:
28,111 (original), 53,192 (final)
-Surface:
Grass
-Cost: $5 Million
-Opened:
April 24, 1956
-Closed: September 28, 2000
-Demolished:
February 2001
-Dimensions:
320-L, 404-C, 320-R (original), 315-L, 402-C, 315-R
(final)
-Architect:
Osborn Engineering
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this stadium? If you have a digital
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your photos here!
A
state of the art Miller High scoreboard was located in right field
with a Longines clock on top. The Green Bay Packers (NFL) began playing at County
Stadium on September 27, 1953. In order for the baseball diamond to
become a football gridiron, the bleachers behind the left field wall
were moved into the playing area in left field.
