As the Milwaukee Brewers and Boston Red Sox gear up for a weekend series, let's look at their rich history.
Milwaukee was an American League rival of the Sox's until they moved to the National League in 1998. A few Red Sox alumni have played for the Brew Crew, but only one man played in a World Series for both clubs — and they were both classics.
The Red Sox drafted Cecil Cooper in the sixth round of the 1968 draft. In 1971, Cooper hit a robust .354 between High-A and Double-A to earn his first call-up to the Sox. He logged a .310 batting average in his 14 games in Boston that year.
Cooper spent most of 1972-73 in Triple-A, and his success earned him more full-time work with the big club. In 1974, he split time between first base and designated hitter because Carl Yastrzemski was transitioning there from left field at the time. Cooper wasn't long for the Red Sox, as two up-and-coming players, Jim Rice and Fred Lynn, forced Boston to ship the DH to Milwaukee before the 1977 season. The trade was a head-scratcher at best — Cooper blossomed into a great hitter, a five-time All-Star and a two-time Gold Glove winner.
Before he was dealt, he got to play in what has been called the greatest World Series of all time: the 1975 Fall Classic between the Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds. As wonderful as the series was, it was not kind to Cooper in both the team and individual results. Cooper posted just one hit in 19 at-bats during the seven-game series.
Cecil Cooper is the only player in MLB history to play in a World Series for both the Red Sox and Brewers
Born into a baseball family, Cecil Cooper was a 5x All-Star throughout his 17-year career spent with the Red Sox and Brewers!
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) July 2, 2023
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After Cooper's disappointing showing in the World Series and the trade to the Brewers, Milwaukee created a powerhouse lineup. With Harvey Kuenn at the helm, the Brewers made their run in 1982. That 1982 squad, nicknamed “Harvey’s Wallbangers,” boasted a lineup that could mash the ball out of any yard, with Cooper in the middle, usually batting third.
The Brewers faced off against the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1982 World Series. Blessed with speed to burn, St. Louis only hit 67 home runs the entire year compared to 216 by the Brewers. The Cardinals were able to use their speed and pitching to beat Milwaukee in seven games and leave Cooper without a title.
There is one more player to note for all the stat hounds who was on the Red Sox and Brewers during World Series runs for the clubs. Ed Romero did appear in the 1986 World Series for the Red Sox, but only got to tip his cap in the 1982 Series with Milwaukee.
Even without a World Series title, Cooper made his mark in both Brewers and Red Sox history. Cooper had a fine career — he collected over 2,000 hits and logged a career .298 batting average. He also managed the Houston Astros from 2007-2009.