Bonnie Brewer

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Anne White in her Bonnie Brewer outfit at County Stadium in 1979
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Anne White in her Bonnie Brewer outfit at County Stadium in 1979

Bonnie Brewer is a former official mascot for the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team, appearing at Milwaukee County Stadium from 1973 to 1979. Bonnie was portrayed as a young blonde woman in a gold blouse and short blue lederhosen, wearing a baseball cap and frequently carrying a blue-and-gold broom which she would use to sweep the bases. The first Bonnie was, in fact, Donna Bozmoski. Her reign lasted two years. Bozmoski (Walek) passed away in 2002.

Bonnie sweeps the shoes of Rangers third base coach Frank Lucchesi
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Bonnie sweeps the shoes of Rangers third base coach Frank Lucchesi

Bonnie was first introduced as the female companion to the Brewers' mascot Bernie Brewer. Bernie and Bonnie were created by then-team vice president Dick Hackett as part of an effort to create a lively atmosphere at County Stadium, which also included hiring organist Frank Charles to play a Wurlitzer during the games. As Hackett remembers it, Bernie and Bonnie were added over the objections of team owner Bud Selig.

"(Selig) said, 'This is a baseball team.' I said, 'They sell tickets.' We had a difference of opinion, but I won," Hackett said.[1]

Bonnie was portrayed by a series of teenage girls, each of whom were paid $5 per game and given four tickets to each Brewers home game.

Bonnie was noted mainly for her colorful antics during the seventh-inning stretch. As the grounds crew swept the infield, Bonnie wielded her signature broom, sweeping off each base in turn. After sweeping third base, she would playfully swat the opposing team's third-base coach on the backside with her broom, following it up with a kiss on his cheek.

Bonnie was discontinued after the 1979 season, although no clear reason has ever been given for her "firing". Bernie Brewer was discontinued as a mascot in 1984, although he was brought back as a costumed mascot in 1993, complete with full-body costume and large foam head. Bonnie Brewer has only returned once, as part of the nostalgia-heavy final home stand at County Stadium, September 18-28, 2000.

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