People Who Made Borchert Field a Special Place, Part II

by Dennis Pajot

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Editor's Note: This is the second in a series of articles about the behind-the-scenes people at Borchert Field, the people essential to the team's operations but whose contributions have gone largely unsung. The first installment is here.

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Of course Borchert Field is remembered for its short distances down the right and left field lines, the close proximity of the fans to the players, the characters who played ball there, and the equally quirky owners. But, let us not forget the people who made things work at the park. Those unsung heroes who need recognition, even today.

Henry Bremser, in 1942 was the oldest employee at Borchert Field, starting his 30th year with the Brewers. The 58-year old Bremser started as a ticket taker at the 7th Street gate in 1912, After two years he became a ticket seller, occupying the same booth for the next 27 years. Henry said he never saw the beginning of a game at Borchert Field, as he usually remained in the booth until the sixth inning. On double header days he did not get into the park until around the second inning of game two. But often he was too tired to catch the game, having been in the hot booth since 8:30 in the morning.

Henry said the biggest single day of sales he took in was $2,200 in 1924. He commented many times he ended the day with more money than he was supposed to have. When people returned to the booth for their change he could tell the honest faces. Only one time did Bremser come up short in hs money drawer. And that he blamed on the owner, Otto Borchert. Henry said Otto got into his booth and left the door ajar, and the wind blew some of his bills through the opening. He came up $9.00 short. When he told business manger Louis Nahin what had happened, Nahin gave Borchert strict orders to stay out of the booths. President Borchert listened and never came near the sellers again.

Henry Bremser's toughest customers? "The hardest customer to handle is the woman fan. She likes to step in ahead of men folks at the window. Just the same, the ladies are O.K. I don’t mind waiting on them, no matter how big the rush." (From The Milwaukee Journal, April 4, 1942)