John Briggs arrived in Milwaukee in 1971 as a left-handed outfielder who had spent the first seven years of his career as a part-time player in Philadelphia. His trade to the Brew Crew finally gave him the full-time opportunity he had been looking for, and he responded immediately with a burst of high-level production. Over four and a half seasons in Milwaukee, he became a key figure on offense during the franchise's early years in the American League, offering a unique mix of power and on-base skills that helped establish him as one of the team's first star players.
After just 10 games for the Phillies in 1971, Briggs was traded to the Brewers, where he reached new heights. He dominated the American League that summer, hitting 21 home runs with a .378 on-base percentage. He became a key player for a young roster, providing a left-handed presence in the middle of the order. In 1972, he maintained this momentum, again hitting 21 home runs and recording over 100 hits for the first time.
Briggs made history on August 4, 1973, by going 6-for-6 against the Cleveland Indians, becoming the first Brewer to achieve a six-hit game. That year, he demonstrated complete dominance on the field, hitting 18 home runs and setting a career-high with seven triples. His exceptional performance earned him MVP votes in the American League.
After hitting 17 home runs and 73 RBI in 1974, the organization traded Briggs to the Twins in June 1975 for Bobby Darwin. As a Brewer, Briggs batted .260 with 492 hits and 80 home runs. He was later inducted into the Brewers Wall of Fame.
Comments powered by CComment