Braves New World | Program |

In 1953, the Boston Braves became the first major league team in 50 years to relocate. The team made its home in Milwaukee, and in 13 seasons, never experienced a losing season. In its first year in Milwaukee, the Braves drew 1.8 million fans; setting attendance records in the major leagues' smallest market. In 1957, the team won the World Series and, in 1962, was sold to a Chicago based group. After declining attendance and struggles on the field, the franchise was courted by the City of Atlanta and moved again leaving Milwaukee without major league baseball.

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[bryanburnap]

I'm 51 from Worcester Mass. Been a Red Sox fan since 82. I had no idea that the Jimmy Fund was created by the Braves. This is a great history lesson

[markcromer]

I grew up i Pittsburgh as a fan of the Pirates. My mother was born and raised in West Bend, WI .just Northwest of Milwaukee. We vacationed every year in West Bend on Big Cedar Lake. My Dad always planned our vacation for when the Pirates played in Milwaukee. So, between 1954 and 1964, I saw at least three games at Milwaukee County Stadium each year.he Braves became my "Second" favorite team in baseball.

[fredo]

Very good documentary! So much I didn't know about Milwaukee and the business side of the game. But as a kid growing up in Atlanta in the 60s the Braves coming to town was like an official turning of the page from the Jim Crow "Old South" into modernity. I felt having a major league franchise gave the city something to live up to. The national profile was increased. And with racial tensions as high as they were in the country back then, I personally think having the Braves ('65) and the Falcons ('66) prevented Atlanta from becoming like Birmingham. Seeing my heroes like Henry Aaron, Phil Niekro, Joe Torre, and Felix Millan taking the field in peace and cooperation you came away with "why can't we do the same?" Watching this documentary made me feel for the fans of Milawaukee, but certainly having the Braves franchise changed the city of Atlanta and the South for the better.

[russellst.martin]

Never really knew this story, since every time I asked my dad why the Braves moved he just said "money". This was absolutely fascinating and exactly what I was looking for.

[wegilleland]

Fifty years ago I started following the Braves and Eddie Mathews was my favorite player. I never learned until some years later that Eddie Mathews was born in Texarkana, Texas, in 1931, not far from Marshall, Texas, where I was born in 1946. I miss Eddie Mathews, Warren Spahn, and Hank Aaron. They and all the rest of the Milwaukee Braves gave me and my family many hours of great baseball entertainment. Even at my young age I was saddened by them having to leave Milwaukee for Atlanta. I was not happy with that move. I don't think Eddie Mathews nor any Milwaukee fans were probably, at least, not happy with the move. I wish the Milwaukee owners would have had the foresight, dedication, and pride within the Braves as Green Bay has had with their Packers.
No, I'm not from Wisconsin as one might think. I was born in Marshall, Texas, and now root for the Texas Rangers. I hope and wish for a great amount of success for my Texas Rangers. I guess it had to do with me being young at the time but I don't think any baseball team or any player will ever take the place of the Milwaukee Braves or Eddie Mathews. Maybe LOYALTY will someday be number one and money will be number two. Probably not, but m a y b e.

Milwaukee Braves-Texas Rangers Fan

[davidmatheny]

Perini: We want local fans in our seats, so good luck catching us on TV!
Ted Turner: Even if we are in dead last, the whole nation will get to see Braves baseball!

[armorybrunotjr.]

I did not know the Boston Braves originated the Jimmy Fund. Also, the Braves never had a losing record in their thirteen seasons in Milwaukee
(1953-65).

[erock]

This documentary was great but it made me sorta sad. My dad grew up with the Braves being his home team, even his little leagues team name and exact same uniforms. I grew up with the Brewers and although I do love them and appreciate what Bud Selig did to get them here, I still feel a nostalgia for The Braves. Like they should still be here.

[americangiant]

PS Lou Perini should be in the MLB Hall of Fame as an executive/owner IMO. Not only helping to build the Braves into being a NL power in the late 1950's (winning a WS title in 1957)but most important being a visionary. Perini's gamble to moving to Milwaukee was not just a huge success, it changed MLB and US-based sports forever. The Braves started that the movement of struggling relocated teams and expansion to new profitable markets across the US and even into Canada (currently Toronto)as well.

[bryanburnap]

Damn the interest in the Braves in Milwaukee faded overnight ! Beer or no beer :(

[MGAF]

Those were the days when the Braves were in Boston. We all were dancing the lindy hop and the Charleston, laughing it up at Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy and trying to figure out exactly what happened to the Lindbergh baby. We couldn't wait to see what the Boston Braves would do next. Those were the days. The best of times. The 1920s and early 30s.

[paulthompkins]

The 2021 Atlanta Braves are also the Miracle Braves.

[Tyrunner]

Ironically, even though Atlanta had the "bigger market", they actually didn't reach 2 million+ attendance for a season again until 1983. They didn't even match Milwaukee's 9 straight years of 1 million+ attendance until 1991-1999.

[bemore]

This whole franchise-shift thing would've started a little over a decade earlier if not for WWII. The St Louis Browns were interested in moving to Los Angeles & were in serious (but not heavily publicized) discussion btwn the 1941 & 42 seasons. Then Pearl Harbor was bombed. The thought of a possible west coast invasion combined with concerns of team flights over the Rocky Mountains caused the Browns to put the whole idea back on the shelf. They moved to Baltimore over a decade later, which I would think didn't exactly thrill the Senators.

[michaelleroy]

Then starting around 1960 the Braves became a struggling franchise once again

[dariowiter]

The Braves should have stayed in Milwaukee instead of Atlanta; Milwaukee really loved this team and was a great working-class city. 😁

[armorybrunotjr.]

These cities had big league teams during the 1950s-Milwaukee, Baltimore, Kansas City, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

[americangiant]

Man. Learned alot watching this documetary about the modern business side of MLB especially during the wild 1950's/60's relocation/expansion era. The Braves moving first to Milwaukee and later Atlanta began the carpetbagger era of the '4' North American sports leagues which continues here in 2017/2018.

IMO with the dispute between the city of Milwaukee and Bartholomay shoud been handled better. Meaning IMO What should have occurred was that Atlanta and Bartholomay's group should have just gotten an expansion club in 1965-'66 (along with say either Dallas/Ft Worth or Seattle.)and The Braves never should have left Milwaukee. Even now in the nearly 5 decades since the Milwaukee club(now the Brewers) was reborn in MLB, I always felt that that state was among the most underrated in the league. Since 1970-summer 2017, the Brewers have won only 2 playoff series and made one fall classic. Yet year after year of mostly crappy teams, the Brewers are still as far as i know have ever been dead last in MLB home attendance like say Oakland or even Tampa has been over the past 10-15 years.

And after watching this, the Braves made the right choice to leave Boston. Matter of fact, surprised the Braves and say the St Louis Browns(now the Baltimore Orioles) did not was not move sooner before 1953. Just my takes as a lifelong MLB fan (Go Yankees lol) and in more recent years studying baseball and sports history as well.

[davidcouch]

Atlanta has Braves, Falcons, and Hawks. In the mid 90’s an Economic Study determined that the Atlanta 500 Raceway alone outperformed the combined contribution of the three franchises to the local economy.

[observer]

I wonder why when Perini decided to sell none of the three big brewers in Milwaukee-Schlitz, Miller, or Pabst, who were all doing well in the early 60's-didn't step up and buy the Braves to keep them in Milwaukee. In 1953 Gussie Busch convinced the board of Anheuser Busch to purchase the Cardinals when they were for sale and it looked as if they might be sold to interests in either Milwaukee or Houston.