:Retired numbers: #42 (Jackie Robinson) |
:Retired numbers: #42 (Jackie Robinson), #19 (Robin Yount), #4 (Paul Molitor), #44 (Henry Aaron), #34 (Rollie Fingers) |
Much of the story of the Seattle Pilots' only year in existence is told in Jim Bouton's classic baseball book, Ball Four.
The team was purchased on April 1, 1970, by an ownership group headed by Milwaukee auto dealer Bud Selig. The team was still in spring training as the Seattle Pilots. The trucks carrying the team's equipment were sent to Salt Lake City from Arizona, where they were to receive instructionw whether to continue to Seattle or Milwaukee. The team had six days to remove the Pilots logos from team uniforms and replace them with Brewers logos.
The story of the Pilots, and their move to Milwaukee, appears in greater detail at http://www.brandx.net/pilots/histindx.html
The Selig family's ownership of the Brewers is the longest continuing ownership in the majors now (Wendy Selig, Bud's daughter, is now CEO).