Brewers fans are generally jolly, but they made an exception for Craig Counsell.
Counsell, who managed Milwaukee for the past nine years before moving to the NL Central-rival Cubs last offseason, was booed loudly when he returned to American Family Field on Monday.
The ballpark has been nicknamed Wrigley Field North in a joke about how many Cubs fans drive down Interstate 94 and take over the stadium as fans of the opposing team, but there were barely any cheers heard as Counsell walked to the Cubs dugout or as the Brewers played a tribute to their former manager on the video board.
Cubs Marquee Network cameras captured a smiling Counsell, who still has a home in his hometown of Whitefish Bay, just outside Milwaukee, at the reception.
That wasn’t a big surprise to him.
“Cheering. Booing. Whatever you want. Just enjoy the game,” Counsell said. He told reporters before Monday’s game.
“All fans need to do is have fun. It’s Memorial Day. You don’t have to work today. Let’s all have a good time.”
Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/USA Today Network
During Counsell’s tenure, the Brewers appeared in the playoffs five times and won the NL Central division four times.
The furthest the team advanced under Counsell was the 2018 National League Championship Series, where they lost to the Dodgers in seven games.
Counsell also played for the Brewers from 2007-2011.
Counsell reportedly signed a record-breaking $40 million contract over five years with the Cubs.
“It was a good fit for me,” Counsell said of the Cubs. “At the end of the day, everything I was looking for, Chicago was a good fit.”
Counsell was replaced in Milwaukee by Pat Murphy, who served as bench coach under Counsell and actually coached Counsell during their time at Notre Dame.
As of Monday’s game, the Brewers were 3.5 games behind the Cubs for the lead in the National League Central Division.
