Who was Bonnie Brewer?
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) – Bernie Brewer wasn’t always the only mascot for the Milwaukee Brewers.
From 1973 to 1979, there was Bonnie Brewer.
The mascot was portrayed as a young woman wearing a blue lederhosen and gold blouse. She would carry a broom and sometime during the 4th and 5th innings she would playfully sweep the bases.
“We would go out with the grounds crew and run out into the field and do cartwheels, round-offs and gymnastics,” said Anne Haines, Bonnie Brewer 1979.
Haines was just 15-years-old when she won the contest and beat hundreds of applicants.
“(Bonnie Brewer) was an energetic presence on the field, bringing some fun and entertainment to the stadium full of people,” Haines said.
A year before Haines, Liz Deckman held the broom at the Milwaukee County Stadium in 1978.
“We became huge; huge fans almost members of the team. I mean we weren’t but we were de facto team members I felt,” said Deckman, Bonnie Brewer.
But Bonnie Brewer didn’t last for long; she was discontinued after six seasons.
“It was a wonderful experience but I’m not sure in today’s day in age it would be one that resonates with a lot of people,” Deckman said.
For Liz and Anne, it’s the memories and the connection to today’s Brew Crew that will last forever.
“It was a really fun time in my life,” Haines said. “I feel like I am a part of this magic that is going on in the city with regards to the Brewers.”