The Milwaukee Brewers Reverse World Series Curse (or Brewers World Series Curse) is a seemingly baseball-related superstition that saw every team the Milwaukee Brewers lost to in the postseason would at least make it to the World Series.[1] The curse technically ended with the New York Mets, who beat the Brewers in the 2024 Wild Card round, were themselves defeated by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2024 NLCS, thus not qualifying for the World Series; however, Milwaukee still has not won a World Series.
Background
edit| Brewers in postseason play (1981–2023) Blue = World Series winner | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Winning Team |
Losing Team (Brewers) |
| 1981 ALDS | New York Yankees |
Milwaukee Brewers |
| 1982 World Series | St. Louis Cardinals |
Milwaukee Brewers |
| 2008 NLDS | Philadelphia Phillies |
Milwaukee Brewers |
| 2011 NLCS | St. Louis Cardinals |
Milwaukee Brewers |
| 2018 NLCS | Los Angeles Dodgers |
Milwaukee Brewers |
| 2019 NLWCG | Washington Nationals |
Milwaukee Brewers |
| 2020 NLWCS | Los Angeles Dodgers |
Milwaukee Brewers |
| 2021 NLDS | Atlanta Braves |
Milwaukee Brewers |
| 2023 NLWCS | Arizona Diamondbacks |
Milwaukee Brewers |
In their first season in Milwaukee, the Braves finished 92–62 (.597) and drew a then-NL record 1.8 million fans.[2][3] The success of the team was noted by many owners. Not coincidentally, the Philadelphia Athletics, St. Louis Browns, Brooklyn Dodgers, and New York Giants all relocated over the next five years. As the 1950s progressed, the reinvigorated Braves became increasingly competitive. Sluggers Eddie Mathews and Hank Aaron drove the offense (they would hit a combined 1,226 home runs as Braves, with 850 of those coming while the franchise was in Milwaukee), while Warren Spahn, Lew Burdette, and Bob Buhl anchored the rotation. In 1957, the city won its first and only World Series championship. Meanwhile, the Braves would win two more World Series in Atlanta (1995, 2021).
Although still successful on the field, the once league-leading attendance would slip in the 1960s. The franchise had attempted to move to Atlanta shortly after the 1964 season;[4][5] it was delayed a year,[6][7] and the team relocated for the 1966 season. In Milwaukee, the Braves never had a losing season.
Following the Braves departure from Milwaukee after the 1965 season, the city was quickly considered for expansion, as stated by Commissioner of Baseball William Eckert in May 1966, citing that expansion would occur in "eight to 10 years."[8] However, by 1968, Milwaukee was rejected for expansion due to its close proximity to Chicago.[9]
As early as June 1969, an MLB memo envisaged the newly founded Seattle Pilots of the American League moving to Milwaukee.[10] Concerns for the Pilots' viability led to several attempts to relocate the team to Milwaukee, which lead to Pilots owner Dewey Soriano to try and sell the team. Following failed attempts to sell to former Braves minority owner Bud Selig and several deals involving Westin Hotels head Eddie Carlson, and bankruptcy of the team on March 31—seven days before Opening Day—the team was sold to Selig and the team was moved to Milwaukee as the Milwaukee Brewers. Due to these nefarious circumstances of the Pilots move to Milwaukee, some think this is when the curse was placed on the team.[11] The National League's 32-year hiatus from the city would end in 1998 when the Brewers were transferred to the National League due to realignment resulting from the 1998 Major League Baseball expansion.
From their inception in 1970 through the 2023 season, the Brewers played in nine postseasons and won zero World Series. Their opponents appeared in all nine World Series and won six of them. Every postseason the Brewers have played in except for one came in a year with the Division Series, so there were at least three playoff rounds in all of those years aside from 1982.[12]
The curse did not gain traction until the 2019 Washington Nationals improbably won the World Series by beating a 106-win Dodgers team and a 107-win Astros team.[13] On their way to the World Series, the Nationals defeated the Brewers in the National League Wild Card Game, scoring three runs in the 8th to win, 4–3.
2024–present
editThe "curse" was considered lifted when the New York Mets, who beat the Brewers in the 2024 Wild Card round, were themselves defeated by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2024 NLCS, thus not qualifying for the World Series. In some respect, it makes this curse unique where it does not have to end with the cursed team winning a World Series.[14]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "WLOX: Brewers reverse curse continues as Diamondbacks reach World Series". WLOX. 25 October 2023. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
- ^ Chapman, Lou (September 21, 1953). "Braves fans set NL mark". p. 1, part 1.
- ^ Wolf, Bob (September 21, 1953). "Braves split final with reds as crowd smashes record". Milwaukee Journal. p. 9, part 2.
- ^ "Braves directors request transfer of club to Atlanta". Milwaukee Journal. October 21, 1964. p. 1, part 1.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Braves ask to move, County obtains writ". Milwaukee Sentinel. October 22, 1964. p. 1, part 1.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "League orders Braves to stay here". Milwaukee Journal. November 7, 1964. p. 1, part 1.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Stay at home, Braves told". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. November 8, 1964. p. 7, sports.
- ^ "Baseball expansion yet 10 years away". The Gadsden Times. Associated Press. 22 May 1966.
- ^ "Baseball back in Montreal". Ottawa Citizen. Associated Press. 28 May 1968. p. 29.
- ^ Andy McClue (2023). "Seattle Pilots ownership history". Society for American Baseball Research.
- ^ "ESPN.com: Page 2 : These curses live on". www.espn.com. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
- ^ Dietrich, Paul (24 October 2024). "On the Milwaukee Brewers and curses". Brew Crew Ball. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
- ^ Miller, Sam (19 August 2020). "Why your favorite team will never win the World Series again (or ever): A curse for all 30 MLB teams". ESPN.com. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
- ^ Radcliffe, J. R. "Every team that's beaten the Milwaukee Brewers in the postseason has gone to the World Series. Are the New York Mets next?". Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 9 November 2024.