Miller Park
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Miller Park has been the home of Major League Baseball's Milwaukee Brewers since 2001, replacing historic Milwaukee County Stadium, which had stood since 1953 when the Milwaukee Braves called the park home. Built on County Stadium's center field parking lot, Miller Park is located on a stretch of US-Highway 41 about two miles west of downtown Milwaukee. Statues of Robin Yount and Hank Aaron stand outside the home plate entrance. The park and the club were also featured in the movie Mr. 3000 starring Bernie Mac.
[edit] Construction
Construction on the site commenced on October 22, 1996 with a groundbreaking ceremony held on November 9. The ballpark was originally scheduled to open in 1999 but was delayed due to finacing problems, and as a result, the 1999 All-Star Game was played at Fenway Park instead, although the game returned in 2002 (more on that later).
In 1999, construction was delayed again after a crane accident tragically killed three workers. The crane collapsed over the stadium, spreading debris over the site and pushing the park's opening back to 2001.
[edit] Opening
On April 6, 2001, the park opened in front of a capacity crowd as the Brewers and Cincinnati Reds took the field after President George W. Bush and Baseball Commissioner Allan H. "Bud" Selig threw out ceremonial first pitches.
Sean Casey got the first hit at Miller Park, while Michael Tucker hit the first official home run at the park. Jeromy Burnitz hit the first Brewers home run, and the Brewers gathered a 5-4 victory over the Reds, thanks to an eighth inning home run by Richie Sexson.
[edit] Features
Miller Park was given a $50 million, seven-panel retractable roof to shield the players from the often chilly Wisconsin weather. The retractable roof opens and closes like a fan in about 10 minutes. The outer walls of the stadium in the outfield can also be opened and closed.
The park features a banquet-style restaurant in left field above the bleachers called the .300 Club, Friday's Front Row Sports Grill in the "Hot Corner" in left field below the bleachers, and a brand new "Beerpen" picnic area behind the right field wall, which shortened the wall's distance from home plate by about 10 feet for the 2006 season.
The Brewers also built a brand new home for mascot Bernie Brewer, who, at County Stadium, traditionally slid down a slide from his "house" above the center field bleachers into a giant beer stein. The beer stein is gone now, but Bernie's perch has now been completed with pyrotechnics and an upgraded slide. The Brewers/Klement's Racing Sausages were also brought along to Miller Park.
In addition to the park, the club also built a little league park, named Helfaer Field, on the old County Stadium site.
In 2006, color screens were added to the left field walls and along the overhang of the loge level seats.
[edit] The 2002 All-Star Game
Miller Park was home to the 2002 All-Star Game, which was called in the 11th inning with scored tied a seven due to neither team having any pitchers left. It is the only All-Star Game ever to end in a tie and caused Major League Baseball to launch its "This Time it Means Something" campaign, which gave home-field advantage in the World Series to the team representing the league that won the All-Star Game.
[edit] Picture Gallery
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