A man who made his mark on Milwaukee Brewers history has passed away.
Sal Bando made a name for himself with the Kansas City/Oakland Athletics, winning three World Series titles with the franchise. But his time in Milwaukee helped spring board him into life after baseball.
Bando was acquired by the Brewers from Oakland in 1977, making him the first free-agent acquisition in franchise history. He was officially a third baseman with Milwaukee but played every position during his five years with the team including a relief pitching appearance in 1979.
After his playing days were over, Bando briefly went into the broadcast booth alongside Bob Costas on NBC, before returning to the Brewers as a special assistant to the general manager. On Oct. 8, 1991, he was named the sixth general manager in franchise history, a position he held until Aug. 13, 1999.
“We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Sal Bando,” said Brewers President of Business Operations Rick Schlesinger. “Sal impacted the organization proudly for many years as both a player and as an executive. His addition to the team in 1977 helped establish the first great era of Brewers baseball. Our heartfelt condolences go out to Sal’s loved ones.”
Most recently, Bando had been living in Oconomowoc while serving as the head coach of the Marquette University High School varsity baseball team.
Bando was 78 years old.
