On the surface, Milwaukee and Atlanta may not seem to have much in common. The City of Suds rests on the shores of Lake Michigan, far from the peach trees and sweltering Georgian summers.

But don’t be fooled by their geographic differences. These two cities were, are, and shall forever be linked by the world of professional sports.

Every baseball fan knows about the Atlanta Braves. Their unprecedented string of NL East Division championships remains one of the greatest “regular-season” sporting accomplishments in history.

But how many of today’s young fans know that the Braves got their start as a competitor to Fenway’s Finest? That’s right – up until 1953, they were doing the “tomahawk chop” in Boston.

The Boston Braves, as an organization, had been around since 1871. Decades latter in 1953, then-owner Lou Perini was faced with an overwhelming obstacle – A “Green Monster”, if you will (nyuck, nyuck). Unable to compete with the fan favorite Red Sox, Perini did the unthinkable.

Boston’s top farm team, the Milwaukee Brewers, were an immensely popular club. St. Louis Browns owner Bill Veeck had persuaded the city to build the all-new County Stadium, in hopes of relocating his team there. After his bid was voted down by the American League, Perini’s Braves moved into the new park in the spring of 1953.

The Braves were readily embraced by the city of Milwaukee, finishing 92-62 in their first season. It was the start of a great relationship, one that brought Championships and Titles to the Brew City for many years.

When the Braves moved to Atlanta in 1966, they left a baseball-hungry populace behind. In the wake of their departure, Milwaukee began laying the foundations for a baseball resurrection. Three years later, the bankrupt Seattle Pilots were acquired by Wisconsin native Bud Selig, and presented as the new Milwaukee Brewers.

Even since the Braves move from the land of milk and cheese, the two have remained fairly close. Hank Aaron, who played for several years in Milwaukee, would eventually return to the North as a member of the Brewers. Jim Powell, one of the best radio announcers to grace the Miller Park microphone, was born in Georgia. He now holds lead broadcasting duties for the Braves.

And when Milwaukee jumped from the AL to the NL, who better to greet them (and beat them) than their old friends from Atlanta?

Outside of baseball, there is one gigantic debt that Wisconsin owes to the people of Georgia. His name, as any good Packer fan should know, is Brett Favre.

- Taylor Maxwell

Popularity: 1% [?]

Tags | Atlanta, Atlanta Braves, Bill Veeck, Boston Braves, Lou Perini, Milwaukee, Milwaukee Brewers