Sports
A piece of Brewers history hangs above the bar at 4th Base
A wooden prosthetic leg associated with 1982 Brewers manager Harvey Kuenn has been displayed at a West Milwaukee bar since the early 1990s. With Milwaukee back in the World Series, the unusual keepsake is being welcomed as a possible good-luck charm.
WEST MILWAUKEE, Wis. — A wooden prosthetic leg tied to Harvey Kuenn, the manager who led the Milwaukee Brewers to the 1982 World Series, hangs from the ceiling at 4th Base Sports Bar and Restaurant, where it has been part of the decor since the early 1990s.
The keepsake at the bar near 51st Street and National Avenue is drawing fresh attention as the Brewers play in the World Series. Bar manager CJ Papara said he hopes it brings the team luck, though the leg’s history at the establishment is uncertain.
“There are a couple of different stories,” Papara said. One account holds that Kuenn left the leg behind; another says it came from a funeral director. Papara said he does not know which version is true.
Kuenn, a West Allis native, took over as manager in May 1982 and guided the team to its only World Series appearance before this season. He and his wife, Audrey, also ran Cesar’s Inn, a tavern nearby on National Avenue that became a gathering place during the Brewers’ successful season. Kuenn was dismissed after the 1983 season and died five years later.
Audrey Kuenn later recalled that the 1982 team felt like a family, describing its members as a remarkable group she did not expect to see replicated.
Papara sees a similar sense of camaraderie in the current Brewers and said the old memento connects the team’s present run with its past. He also expects the World Series games to bring more customers to the bar, though he joked he would prefer Milwaukee to win in six games and spare fans the added tension.