The Milwaukee Brewers are going to the World Series.
They left no doubt in how much they belong, either — on Thursday night, they completed a four-game sweep of the back-to-back champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS.
To be the best, you’ve got to beat the best. The Brewers beat the reigning best, four games in a row, and so they’ll play in the Fall Classic.
They’re still waiting to see who wins the ALCS, which currently has a 2-1 edge in the favor of the Cleveland Guardians over the Tampa Bay Rays.
In the meantime, it’s worth considering how long it has been since the Brewers were in the World Series. It’s been so long that the last time Milwaukee played in the final series of the season, they were representing the American League.
When’s the Last Time the Brewers Played in the World Series?
The last, and only, time the Brewers played in the World Series was in 1982.
They were the American League representative and managed by Harvey Kuenn.
The National League brought the St. Louis Cardinals, who were managed by Whitey Herzog.
It was painful for the Brewers, as the Cardinals won the series in seven games.
Paul Molitor and Robin Yount both had great series. Molitor went 11-for-31, and Young was 12-for-29.
Ted Simmons hit two homers in the series for the Brewers.
And yeah, you read that write up there — the Brewers were in the American League.
When Did Brewers Switch Leagues?
The Brewers switched from the American League to the National League for the 1998 season.
They had played in the AL from their inception in 1970 through the 1997 season.
MLB had to realign for the 1998 season because they had added the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
So as part of the rearrangement, the Brewers became an NL ballclub.
Milwaukee has been good in recent seasons, certainly the class of the National League Central. They had the best record in the NL this season, just like last season.
But a year ago, they couldn’t get past the Dodgers.
This time around, they did.
Have Brewers Won the World Series?
The Brewers have never won the World Series.
The aforementioned 1982 World Series was the only time that they played in the Fall Classic.
This will be a chance at history for the Brewers, who already have wowed baseball by sweeping the Dodgers out of the postseason.
It’s a special time for baseball in Milwaukee.
Last Time Brewers Made World Series? They Represented American League