View Full Version : Boston/Milwaukee (and back to Boston?) Braves
The Sporting News Feb. 5, 1966
Regarding cities that had been interseted in obtaining the Milwaukee Braves:
John McHale, GM----"I believe even the city of Boston sent us a letter from the mayor..........saying that if we'd come back, they'd build us a new stadium."
efin98
06-12-2006, 07:52 PM
It could have happened, the city was undergoing a massive change then. Odds are they may well have ended up in the West End, not far from the Charles River and pretty close to I93 and a slew of MBTA train and bus lines. I'd even guess that they would even have played a few seasons in Fenway Park before moving into their new home...in the end it fell through, and now the area where the team would have played is some of the highest priced real estate in Massachusetts!
wamby
06-12-2006, 10:20 PM
It wouldn't surprise me to find out that in 1966, the Boston city fathers were suspecting that the Red Sox would make a move out of Boston because of Tom Yawkey's dissatisfaction with both Fenway Park and the Red Sox's following in the Boston area. They may have been hedging their bets to try to keep baseball in the New England area (or the state of New England as I heard to it refered to on a Jerry Springer clip).
soberdennis
06-12-2006, 11:05 PM
Why would you want to listen to Jerry Springer?
Seriously, Bostonfans have always supported their Sox I have always been amazed at how , despite having the smallest stadium in baseball, they are always amongst the leaders in attendance. But in 1952, the Braves drew 285000 fans to Braves Field, an embarassing average of under 4000 a game.:ughh :(
Would the attendance figures have gotten better.
wamby
06-12-2006, 11:19 PM
Why would you want to listen to Jerry Springer?
Seriously, Bostonfans have always supported their Sox I have always been amazed at how , despite having the smallest stadium in baseball, they are always amongst the leaders in attendance. But in 1952, the Braves drew 285000 fans to Braves Field, an embarassing average of under 4000 a game.:ughh :(
Would the attendance figures have gotten better.
The state of North England thing is something that I've always found funny.
I've read in different sources that the Red Sox were a poor draw in the mid to late fifties until the 1967 season and that Yawkey had reservations about staying in both Fenway Park and the city of Boston. I don't know if he ever agitated about getting a new park though.
soberdennis
06-12-2006, 11:53 PM
I'd have to look at attendance figures to know what the Sox draw was back then. But looking at the last 40 years, it's hard to imagine the Sox ever having trouble drawing fans. I am a Yankee fan so I hate the Sox but I can't help but respect their fans.
wamby
06-13-2006, 01:47 AM
I'd have to look at attendance figures to know what the Sox draw was back then. But looking at the last 40 years, it's hard to imagine the Sox ever having trouble drawing fans. I am a Yankee fan so I hate the Sox but I can't help but respect their fans.
From the retirement of Ted Williams until the 1967 season, the Red Sox attendance figures are on the anemic side.
soberdennis
06-13-2006, 09:18 AM
That's sad. I guess even Red Sox fans can be fair weather fans. It just seems like they have been so loyal for so long.
Of course Bostonians have a history of lack of support, too. The Braves and also the Redskins moved due to lack of support, right before getting an all time great. (Baugh, Aaron)
efin98
06-14-2006, 07:59 PM
From the retirement of Ted Williams until the 1967 season, the Red Sox attendance figures are on the anemic side.
6th, 7th, 4th, 5th, 7th, 8th out of 10 teams in attendance during the years 1961-1966. Hardly anemic but not exactly good for a major city.