Editing Bernie Brewer (section)

==History==
In late June 1970, when the Brewers were still a new team and having difficulty drawing spectators to their games at [[Milwaukee County Stadium]], Milt Mason, a 69-year-old Brewers fan, decided to sit atop the scoreboard until the team could draw a home crowd of 40,000.  He remained there for about 40 days. To the delight of a Bat Day crowd of 44,387 on August 16, Mason descended from his trailer following the Brewers' 4–3 win over the Indians. He slid down a rope from his perch, sustaining burns to his hands and legs. After a long illness, Mason died on June 12, 1973, but not before being recognized as the ''original'' Bernie Brewer.

The Bernie Brewer character became the team's mascot in 1973, as a tribute to Mason, appearing as a cheerful man with a big [[mustache]]. In 1973, a beer-barreled [[chalet]] was built for him inside the stadium where he led the crowd in cheering.  The new chalet and beer mug made their debut at the home opener that season on April 14, 1973.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.jsonline.com/picture-gallery/life/green-sheet/2019/03/25/check-out-bernie-brewer-original-chalet-and-beer-mug-milwaukee-county-stadium-photos/3232016002/|title=Take a look at Bernie Brewer's first barrel and beer mug at County Stadium, through the years}}</ref> The original date for the opener had been snowed out.  Thereafter, following each [[home run]] and every victory by the Brewers, he slid down and plunged himself into a huge [[beer]] mug in celebration, balloons rising into the air from the mug.  He was joined by a companion [[Bonnie Brewer]], who playfully swatted at the backside of the opposing team's third base coach with a broom as the field crew swept the base paths.

Bernie Brewer was a fixture at Brewers home games until 1984, when the Brewers re-built the [[bleacher]]s, replacing the chalet with a sound tower and sending Bernie into [[retirement]]. By popular demand, Bernie Brewer came out of retirement in 1993, when the fans voted for his return.  Bernie was brought back not as just a mustachioed man in [[lederhosen]], but in a full-body costume of a man, including large foam head. The chalet was then rebuilt (it had been in storage on the third base side under the box seats) above the left-center field bleachers. The original chalet has found a home at [[Lakefront Brewery, Inc.|Lakefront Brewery]], a local Milwaukee brewery and may be viewed during their brewery tour.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lakefrontbrewery.com/about |title = About Lakefront - Who We Are {{!}} Lakefront Brewery}}</ref>