Milwaukee native Bud Selig reshaped baseball in Wisconsin when he purchased the bankrupt Seattle Pilots on March 31, 1970. The $10.8 million deal brought immediate change and sent the franchise north to Milwaukee. Within days, the club reopened as the Milwaukee Brewers, restoring Major League Baseball to a city eager for a return. Opening day that season carried the weight of a fresh start and a second chance.
Selig later reflected often on the organization’s growth and its defining players. Among them, he pointed to Paul Molitor as a personal favorite. In the letter shown here, Selig recalled, “My greatest memory is 1982 when the Brewers came back from an 0-2 deficit in the American League Championship Series to win the American League pennant.”
Molitor helped anchor that 1982 team with a breakout performance. He collected 201 hits, scored a league-leading 136 runs, and finished 12th in MVP voting. Milwaukee surged to 95 wins and captured the American League East Division title behind a balanced and explosive roster. Momentum carried the club deep into October and into franchise history.
Selig also wrote about the clubhouse that defined the era. He noted, “It was my pleasure to be associated with Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Jim Gantner, Cecil Cooper, Gorman Thomas, Rollie Fingers, Charlie Moore, and many others.”
Molitor signed it and added, “201 hits, 136 runs led AL”. Fingers also signed it, writing, “1982 All Star, 1982 Pennant”. Robin Yount and Cecil Cooper also signed the piece to round it out.
Milwaukee native Bud Selig reshaped baseball in Wisconsin when he purchased the bankrupt Seattle Pilots on March 31, 1970. The $10.8 million deal brought immediate change and sent the franchise north to Milwaukee. Within days, the club reopened as the Milwaukee Brewers, restoring Major League Baseball to a city eager for a return. Opening day that season carried the weight of a fresh start and a second chance.
Selig later reflected often on the organization’s growth and its defining players. Among them, he pointed to Paul Molitor as a personal favorite. In the letter shown here, Selig recalled, “My greatest memory is 1982 when the Brewers came back from an 0-2 deficit in the American League Championship Series to win the American League pennant.”
Molitor helped anchor that 1982 team with a breakout performance. He collected 201 hits, scored a league-leading 136 runs, and finished 12th in MVP voting. Milwaukee surged to 95 wins and captured the American League East title behind a balanced and explosive roster. Momentum carried the club deep into October and into franchise history.
Selig also remembered the players who made that team special. He wrote, “It was my pleasure to be associated with Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Jim Gantner, Cecil Cooper, Gorman Thomas, Rollie Fingers, Charlie Moore, and many others.” His words capture the depth of a roster that carried Milwaukee to its first American League pennant since the franchise arrived in Wisconsin.
The signatures on the piece reinforce Selig’s memories with personal connections to that season. Molitor added, “201 hits, 136 runs led AL,” highlighting his remarkable regular season. Fingers signed, “1982 All Star, 1982 Pennant,” linking his signature to both personal and team accomplishments. Yount and Cooper also signed the piece, bringing four prominent Brewers together on a single reminder of Milwaukee’s historic 1982 campaign.
