History
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Once the season ended, the American League knew they would want new owners for the Pilots. With all the problems surrounding the team off the field, the instability financially, and the remarks made about Seattle having "one more year to prove itself" would hurt ticket sales for the 1970 season if they owners didn't sell to a local group. An owners meeting was held in Baltimore after the World Series to settle the matter. Most owners wanted to rip the team out of Seattle which would put all the problems about the Pilots behind them. At he time Bud Selig of Milwaukee had made a large offer to buy the team and move it to County Stadium. The two things in the way were a letter sent by Washington State Senators Magnuson and Jackson showing that the problems were not Seattle's but the owners. The team did out draw four other major league teams even with a smaller stadium then the rest of the league. Plus at this time the Majors were bringing in the fewest fans in its modern history. Another letter, this one form then Attorney General Slade Gordon, which stated that there would be legal action taken against the league and noting that this would also be a violation of antitrust laws. The league was still worried about the domed stadium issue. As it looked, the stadium would not be started by the end of the 1970 season as required but would be delayed until mid-1971. The low attendance also was a concern still. Even with these concerns the league denied the sale to Selig and asked for the current owners to find a local buyer.
At the annual meetings held in Chicago, the city of Seattle sent a delegation to try and keep the team. Even the mayor was now saying he fight any attempt to move the team. The owners in the league were impressed enough to come up with a contingency plan to keep the team in Seattle. On October 21st a local person, Fred Danz, made an offer to buy the team. After a two hour meeting a new set of requirements were issued to Seattle. The city would have to expand the seating of Sick's Stadium to 28,000, a domed stadium would have to be built by 1973 and a new ownership by October 30th. Danz would now have nine days to come up with the $10 million for the asking price of the Pilots. On November 17th, after receiving an extension, Danz and his investors announced that they had purchased the team.
The owners soon there after approved the sale with the buyers from Milwaukee still in the background at the meeting. The excitement would soon fade. The problems from the spring training complex came up again. The previous owners agreed to build a motel, convention center, other related buildings, paving the parking lot and access roads. Danz flew down to Arizona to meet with the parties involved to work out an agreement. While down in Phoenix, the Bank of California wanted the $3.5 million left from the loan issued to the old owners. The bank felt that the city would not support the team in 1970 and had the right to foreclose. Once again it looked like Seattle would lose the Pilots. After weeks of meetings with the bank, the same situation loomed. Danz had to come up with the money or lose the team.
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Meanwhile, Milkes was busy making trades to build a team for next year. He also decided on a new manager. Dave Bristol who spent the last 19 years with the Reds was named. At the news conference Marvin Milkes declared "I want to assure the baseball world and Pacific Northwest fans that this will be a stable organization and we can expect to see major league baseball here for many years to come."
The bank was not optimistic about Danz coming up with the needed money so they kept in contact with Bud Selig as a possible buyer. Not only that but the major leagues were not really in favor of keeping the team in Seattle. Bowie Kuhn, then Commissioner, told a Wisconsin baseball writers group that Seattle had many problems and would like to see the team moved to Milwaukee. He then turned and told AL president Cronin that the team needed to stay in Seattle. Danz had run out of ideas to keep the team here and as the deadline approached for the $3.5 million he announced "The Pilots are up for grabs".
The political heads of Washington State held a meeting and new Mayor Wes Uhlman announced that a lawsuit would be filed against Major League Baseball. A number of different ideas were presented to the league but none were convincing enough to save the team. To get rid of the team once and for all, the original owners (Soriano and Daley) filed for bankruptcy. One more attempt was made in Seattle by Kuhn to get a group of local owners. A group was found but the team had devalued so much they told the commissioner "No".
Daley and Soriano contacted Bud Selig and signed an agreement. Soon after Washington State filed a lawsuit and a restraining order was issued. Daley and Soriano in turn filed a petition in United States District Court asking that they be allowed to sell the team to Bud Selig under the Bankruptcy Act. Beginning on March 24, 1970, a judge would listen to the State of Washington and the City of Seattle of why the team should not be moved. The hearings lasted for three days in the King County Courthouse. On the last day Marvin Milkes took the stand and told of the problems the team faced. He said he was unable to pay the salaries of the office staff, coaches and scouts, he also could not pay the players bonuses. In the case of the players, if he were more than ten days late in paying them, they would all become free agents and the Pilots would have no team to field for the next season. On March 25th the judge lifted the restraints and allowed the team to move to Milwaukee. Later on March 30th, it became official as the papers were signed for the transfer of the team.
In Milwaukee on April 7, 1970, a crowd of 37,237 fans greeted their new team in County Stadium. The team was re-named the Milwaukee Brewers and lost to the California Angels 12-0. On the same day in Seattle at Sick's Stadium, the old owners sold off everything from t-shirts to pennants in an effort to finally put the team behind them.