What Is 1973 Milwaukee Brewers baseball team

Overview

The 1973 Milwaukee Brewers were a Major League Baseball team competing in the American League East. Coming off a 70-92 season in 1972, the club showed modest improvement under manager Del Crandall, finishing with a 74-88 record. Despite the slight uptick in performance, the team remained outside playoff contention, continuing a rebuilding phase after their move from Seattle in 1970.

The season was historically notable for the arrival of future Hall of Famer Hank Aaron, who returned to Milwaukee after 21 seasons with the Braves. His presence brought national attention to the franchise, even as the team struggled to find consistency. The Brewers played their home games at Milwaukee County Stadium, a multi-purpose venue that also hosted the NFL’s Green Bay Packers at the time.

• Hank Aaron joined the Brewers in 1973 after being traded from the Atlanta Braves, marking his return to Milwaukee where he began his career.
• The team finished 6th in the AL East, 20 games behind the first-place Baltimore Orioles, who won 97 games that season.
• Manager Del Crandall led the club for the third consecutive year, compiling a 74-88 record before being replaced the following season.
• The Brewers’ home field, Milwaukee County Stadium, had a capacity of over 50,000 and was one of the few stadiums shared by MLB and NFL teams.
• Offensively, the team ranked near the bottom of the league, scoring 625 runs, the third-lowest total in the American League.

Key Players and Performance

The 1973 roster featured a mix of veteran leadership and developing young talent, with standout contributions from a few key individuals. While the team lacked dominant pitchers, several position players showed promise, and the arrival of a legend like Aaron provided both on-field production and cultural significance.

• Richie Sexson was not on the 1973 team—he played decades later; the actual first baseman was George Scott, who hit 17 home runs.
• Mike Hegan led the team with 22 home runs and 77 RBIs, setting career highs in both categories during his age-29 season.
• Starting pitcher Jim Colborn posted a 3.75 ERA over 217 innings, leading the staff with 14 wins despite a losing record.
• Outfielder Johnny Briggs led the team with 12 stolen bases and a .270 batting average in 118 games played.
• The pitching staff as a whole struggled, posting a collective 4.35 ERA, ranking 8th out of 12 AL teams.
• The team drew 978,667 fans for the season, a slight increase from 1972, likely due to Aaron’s presence.

Comparison at a Glance

Here’s how the 1973 Brewers compared to other AL East teams in key statistical categories:

The table illustrates the Brewers’ mid-tier performance in runs allowed but significant deficit in run production. While they outperformed the Yankees in wins, their offense lagged behind all teams except Cleveland. The gap between Milwaukee and division champion Baltimore highlighted the competitive imbalance in the league at the time, with the Orioles advancing to the ALCS.

Why It Matters

The 1973 season holds historical significance beyond the standings, particularly due to Hank Aaron’s return to Milwaukee and his pursuit of Babe Ruth’s home run record. Though he hit only 40 home runs that year—finishing his career with 755—the season was a bridge between eras in baseball history.

• Aaron’s presence in Milwaukee helped re-energize the fan base and elevated the team’s national profile during a rebuilding phase.
• The season marked the beginning of the end of Aaron’s legendary career; he retired after the 1976 season.
• It demonstrated the challenges of small-market teams in developing competitive rosters during the pre-free agency transition period.
• The Brewers’ modest attendance increase showed that star power could still drive interest even without playoff success.
• Del Crandall was fired after the 1975 season, making 1973 the middle chapter of a short managerial tenure.
• This season laid groundwork for future Brewers teams that would eventually reach the playoffs in the early 1980s.

In summary, while the 1973 Milwaukee Brewers were not a championship contender, they played a pivotal role in baseball history due to Aaron’s legacy and the franchise’s evolving identity in Milwaukee.