If you are a fan of The Milwaukee Brewers, you must be familiar about Bernie Brewer- yes he is the much loved mascot of this famous team of Wisconsin who is known for sliding down a chalet and dropping into a giant beer mug! Everyone eagerly awaits to see this beloved mascot sitting on the top of the scoreboard but only a few know his real story!
Who is Bernie Brewer- the story of an ardent fan
Sandy Petrocelli an ardent fan of Wisconsin teams says that the man behind this famous mascot Bernie Brewer was Milt Mason. He is the original inspiration for the character. He was an old fan of the team and loved watching is players in action. However, in the beginning, The Milwaukee Brewers hardly managed to attract people to watch their matches. They were a new team and very few people came in to watch them play on the home field. So, this 69-year old man decided to do something different in order to draw fans to watch his favorite team play. In June 1970, he sat on top of the scoreboard for 40 days and this gesture did attract fans to watch the team play. However, once he achieved his target of attracting over 40K fans to the field, he decided to slide down the rope but unfortunately, he sustained a lot of burns in the process. The burns he received injured his limbs. He expired in 1973 after suffering from a prolonged illness. He is remembered lovingly till date and is respected as the original Bernie Brewer of The Milwaukee Brewers!
Bernie Brewer Becomes Official Mascot and Gets His own chalet for matches
Post his death in 1973, in order to honor Milt Mason, the Milwaukee Brewers decided to make Bernie Brewer the official mascot of the team. He was given a makeover and appeared as a very jolly man with a big mustache. In 1983, he received a chalet that was shaped like a barrel of beer. He like Milt Mason sat on the top of the scoreboard to cheer the players and after every home win, he would slide down the chalet into the beer mug. Today he has a companion and her name is Bonnie Brewer. She joyfully accompanies him and is seen at the stadium with a broom in hand. Fans also love her as much as they are fond of Bernie Brewer he says.
Sandy Petrocelli says that Bernie Brewer disappeared for some time but he came back. Today, he is seen on the top of the scoreboard however instead of sliding down the beer mug he now drops on a home plate whenever the team makes a home win. He says that if you really wish to see the original chalet that was used by The Milwaukee Brewers, you can find it at The Lakefront Brewery. He adds that the NFL has wonderful and amazing stories. The teams are not only famous but their beloved mascots too are equally famous as well!