Perini’s 1953 decision to move his Boston franchise to Milwaukee changed baseball.
A Hall of Fame Snub Rooted in Baseball Business History
When the Baseball Hall of Fame announces its Class of 2026, Lou Perini will not be among those honored in Cooperstown. That omission overlooks one of the most important business shifts in Major League Baseball history. Perini did not change the game on the field. He changed how the game operated off it. His decisions in the early 1950s reshaped franchise movement, stadium financing, and the economic future of professional baseball.
The Move That Changed Everything
In 1953, Lou Perini made a bold and controversial choice. He moved the Boston Braves to Milwaukee. At the time, this was a radical idea. MLB teams simply did not relocate. Cities adjusted to teams, not the other way around. Perini proved that assumption wrong.
Milwaukee politicians had approved public funding for a new stadium in 1950. Their goal was clear. They wanted to attract a Major League Baseball team. They also hoped to keep the Green Bay Packers playing a few games in the city each season. The stadium came with a favorable lease. It was a deal owners could not ignore.
A Failing Franchise Finds a New Market
The Boston Braves were struggling badly. In 1952, the team sold just 281,278 tickets over 77 home games. That number made long-term survival in Boston unlikely. Perini explored other options, including Toronto. Milwaukee eventually won out, partly because Perini already had business ties there. He owned the Milwaukee Brewers of the American Association, the Braves’ Triple-A affiliate.
On March 13, 1953, Perini announced his intention to move. Five days later, National League owners approved the relocation.
Proof That Small Markets Could Win
The results were immediate. Milwaukee drew massive crowds. Attendance surpassed that of teams in much larger cities, including Brooklyn. That success sent shockwaves through baseball. Owners began to realize that stadium deals and local government support mattered more than traditional market size.
Walter O’Malley noticed. The Dodgers owner concluded Brooklyn could not compete financially if his team remained in Ebbets Field. That realization helped push the Dodgers to Los Angeles.
A Blueprint That Still Exists
Perini’s influence did not stop there. The Braves later moved again, this time to Atlanta in 1966. Once again, they landed in a publicly funded stadium. The Atlanta franchise has since played in three taxpayer-supported venues. Milwaukee eventually regained an MLB team in 1970. That franchise, the Brewers, also benefited from a publicly financed stadium to ensure it stayed put.
Why Perini Belongs in Cooperstown
Lou Perini created the modern relocation and stadium-financing model. Nearly every franchise move since traces back to his decision. Baseball’s economic landscape changed because of him. That impact deserves recognition.
Cooperstown honors those who shaped the game. Lou Perini did exactly that.
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