Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell’s first game at American Family Field since being hired by the Milwaukee Brewers featured a warm scoreboard message and a chorus of incredibly loud boos.
A short video shown before the game’s first pitch showed some highlights from Counsell’s tenure as Milwaukee’s manager before showing him wearing a Brewers cap next to the message “Thank you No. 30.”
Brewers fans booed throughout the video and then made their anger known once again when he was introduced as the Cubs’ manager.
A video posted to social media captured these moments, with the crowd’s deafening response to the annoyance toward the Brewers legend leaving the team to coach the Cubs in the offseason.
“Look, cheer, boo, whatever, man,” Counsell said before the game when asked what kind of reception he expected. ‘Just enjoy playing.
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell was booed upon his return to Milwaukee, where he was a legendary player for the Brewers before becoming the club’s all-time winningest manager.
The Brewers sent him home with a loss thanks to Willy Adames (center) hitting a home run
“That’s what fans are allowed to do. Just have a good time. It’s Remembrance Day. You don’t have to work today, let’s all have a good time.’
Counsell did get some applause from the sizable portion of Cubs fans in attendance — Cubs-Brewers games in Milwaukee generally have a fairly even split of fans for both teams — but the cheers were drowned out by the boos.
Counsell led the Brewers to five playoff appearances over the past six seasons and set franchise records in wins and games played before the Cubs lured him away with a five-year deal worth more than $40 million.
This wasn’t the first time Counsell had done it against his former team – the Cubs won two of three against the Brewers at Wrigley Field May 3-5 – but it was his first time in Milwaukee.
For Brewers fans, while they may have arrived angry, they certainly left happy after Milwaukee defeated their division rivals 5-1 on Memorial Day.
After a scoreless tie entering the eighth inning, pinch runner Sal Frelick scored a run before a three-run Willy Adames home run extended the lead to 4-0.
By the end of the inning, Milwaukee had scored its fifth run and despite giving up the shutout on a sacrifice fly, unluckily ejected their old manager.