MILWAUKEE — He was a wide-eyed 18-year-old kid in 1974 just hoping to make a positive impression in his first spring training with the Brewers. Fifty years, and one hall-of-fame career later, Robin Yount is reflecting on his 20-year career in Milwaukee.
“Still in spring training [in 1974] getting on a bus to go across town to play somebody…I was scared that I got on the bus late because the Manager was always the last one to get on the bus, and when I got on the bus, he was sitting in the front seat where he always did.”
The Manager was Del Crandall.
“He said, ‘Sit down next to me’ and I figured he was going to tell me, ‘Hey kid you did a nice job but we’re sending you down to A-ball or double-A, and hopefully we’ll see you back here one day,’ was what I was expecting.”
As Yount recalls, Crandall had a much different message.
“He said ‘You’re going to be our everyday shortstop,’ and obviously that was a pretty exciting moment.”
The Brewers will honor the 50th anniversary of Yount’s rookie season on Sunday, August 18th before an afternoon contest against the Cleveland Guardians at American Family Field.
In speaking with Wisconsin’s Midday News on Wednesday, Yount reflected on his first hit against the Orioles, the team’s magical run to the World Series in 1982, and what, or who, prevented him from leaving Milwaukee in free agency.
Click on the sound file above to hear the complete conversation with the Milwaukee Brewers legend.
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