MLB2h ago
Brewers Return to World Series After 44-Year Absence
Milwaukee's path to the Fall Classic echoes a different era in baseball and other major sports
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From 1982 Drought to Dominant Run
Milwaukee fans have waited 44 years to see their team back on baseball's biggest stage. The Brewers captured the American League pennant just 12 years after arriving in the city, only to fall in a seven-game World Series to the St. Louis Cardinals. They switched to the National League in 1998 and have since become one of the game's steadiest clubs, claiming five of the last six division titles while avoiding any full season below 85 wins since 2016. This year they posted the top regular-season mark and advanced by beating the Padres three games to one before sweeping the Dodgers.
Harvey's Wallbangers and 1982 Standouts
The 1982 Brewers earned the nickname Harvey's Wallbangers under manager Harvey Kuenn, who took over midseason. Milwaukee hit 216 home runs, led by Gorman Thomas with 39, Ben Oglivie with 34 and Cecil Cooper with 32. Robin Yount added 29, followed by Ted Simmons with 23 and Paul Molitor with 19. Yount earned AL MVP honors after leading the league in hits and slugging. In the NL, Dale Murphy won MVP with 36 home runs and a Gold Glove. Steve Carlton captured his fourth Cy Young with 23 wins and 286 strikeouts over 295⅔ innings, while Brewers pitcher Pete Vuckovich went 18-6 to take the AL award.
League Alignment and Broader Sports Picture
Baseball looked different then, with two seven-team divisions in the American League and two six-team divisions in the National League. The Detroit Tigers shared the AL East with Milwaukee, and the Atlanta Braves won the NL West. The California Angels claimed the AL West, and the Montreal Expos remained in the NL East. After the Cardinals won the 1982 World Series, other major sports titles went to Washington with a 12-1 NFL record and Super Bowl victory, the New York Islanders sweeping the Stanley Cup Final, and the Philadelphia 76ers sweeping the NBA Finals.
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