A genuine vintage Milwaukee Brewers felt pennant on navy blue felt with gold binding, featuring the classic Barrel Man batter logo and "Milwaukee Brewers" in gold script and block lettering. The pennant carries a printed 1970 M.L.B.P.C. copyright date, pinning it to an exact year. Approximately 12 x 30 inches. Sold as-is, as described.
The story behind this pennant is one of the most chaotic and unlikely in baseball history. The Seattle Pilots had played just one season in 1969, finishing last in the AL West. By that winter the franchise was financially insolvent, and Bud Selig, a Milwaukee car dealer who had been trying to bring baseball back to his city since the Braves left for Atlanta in 1966, struck a deal to buy the team. What followed was a legal and logistical scramble unlike anything in sports. The state of Washington filed an injunction. The Pilots filed for bankruptcy on March 31, 1970, just seven days before Opening Day. A Federal Bankruptcy Referee cleared the way for the move, and the team's equipment, which had been sitting in Provo, Utah with truck drivers waiting to hear whether to drive toward Seattle or Milwaukee, finally headed east. There was no time to order new uniforms. The team simply removed the Seattle markings and sewed "Brewers" on the front. The Barrel Man logo, a round cartoon batter swinging in a barrel, was adapted from the old minor league Milwaukee Brewers mascot that had been used since at least the 1940s. Milwaukee poured into the stands. Baseball had come home.
This pennant was printed in that inaugural Milwaukee season, one of the most tumultuous franchise births in baseball history.
Condition is honestly disclosed. The felt has multiple small holes throughout, visible on both the front and reverse. The graphics and lettering remain legible. No tears or writing. Priced to reflect the condition.
Shipping: Pennant will be gently/loosely rolled and placed in cardboard box for cost effective shipping.