The real Bernie Brewer: Milt Mason

MILWAUKEE -- (CBS58) One of the stars of opening day at Miller Park isn't a player, but Brewers mascot Bernie Brewer.

Believe it or not, he was actually a real person named Milt Mason.

Mason was 69 years old and retired at the time. He was good friends with then-Brewers General Manager Marvin Milks.

Management was looking for a way to promote the Brewers and grow attendance so Mason was asked to go and sit on top of the scoreboard until the attendance reached 40,000.

It took about 40 days, but it happened on August 16, 1970. Then the issue became how he would get down from the scoreboard.

"There was no real plan to get him down from the top so he came down on a rope and that was the beginning of what you would consider Bernie and his chalet," said Mario Ziino, former public relations director for the Milwaukee Brewers. "It was something haphazardly done."

Mason also got some pretty bad rope burns on his hands and legs when he came down from the scoreboard. Hence, today Bernie comes down from his chalet on a slide.