Wautoma Public Library

Borchert Field, stories from Milwaukee's legendary ballpark, Bob Buege

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 341-359) and index

illustrations

index present

non fiction

Borchert Field

bibliography

961205392

Bob Buege

stories from Milwaukee's legendary ballpark

"Someone lucky enough to live on Milwaukee's near north side between 1888 and 1952 could experience the world without ever leaving the neighborhood. Nestled between North Seventh and Eighth Streets and West Chambers and Burleigh, Borchert Field was Milwaukee's major sports venue for 64 years. In this rickety wooden stadium (originally called Athletic Park), Wisconsin residents had a close-up view of sports history in the making, along with rodeos, thrill shows, and even multiple eruptions of Mount Vesuvius. In Borchert Field, baseball historian Bob Buege introduces the famous and fascinating athletes who dazzled audiences in Milwaukee's venerable ballpark. All the legendary baseball figures--the Bambino, Satchel Paige, Ty Cobb, Joltin' Joe, Jackie Robinson, the Say Hey Kid--played there. Olympic heroes Jim Thorpe, Babe Didrikson, and Jesse Owens displayed their amazing talents in Borchert. Knute Rockne's Fighting Irish competed there, and Curly Lambeau's Green Bay Packers took the field 10 times. Buege tells stories of other monumental moments at Borchert as well, including a presidential visit, women ballplayers, the arrival of television broadcasting, the 1922 national balloon race, and an appearance by scat-singing bandleader Cab Calloway. Borchert Field is long gone, but every page of this book takes readers back to the sights, sounds, and spectacle of its heyday"--, Provided by publisher"Athletic Park, later named Borchert Field, was Milwaukee's major sports venue for 64 years. From 1888 to 1952, all the legendary figures in American sports, and other fields of endeavor, performed there. This rickety wooden stadium on Milwaukee's north side gave the residents of Wisconsin a close-up look at sports history in the making, along with rodeos, thrill shows, and even multiple eruptions of Mount Vesuvius. In 64 short and lively chapters, Buege introduces the famous and fascinating athletes, from baseball and football players to wrestlers and rodeo riders, who dazzled audiences at Borchert Field. He also sprinkles in stories of other monumental moments at Borchert, including a presidential visit, the arrival of television broadcasting, and an appearance by scat-singing bandleader Cab Calloway"--, Provided by publisher