Milwaukee’s American Family Field turned back the clock on Friday night, trading live MLB action for longballs and laughs as former Brewers legends suited up for the Brewers Alumni Home Run Derby.
Part of the team’s 25th-anniversary celebration of their ballpark, the event took place after a 5-1 loss to Miami, but the mood quickly shifted. With the lights on and the seats still full, a decade-spanning cast of fan favorites took the field–not to chase wins, but to reconnect with the city and each other in a power-packed display of nostalgia.
“For all of us to be able to feel that electricity and intensity is so special,” Ryan Braun, a 14-year Brewers veteran, said.
Team Dynamics
Braun served as one of the team captains, assembling his squad from a roster of former Brewers luminaries including Prince Fielder, Keon Broxton, Corey Hart, Yovani Gallardo, Bill Hall, Casey McGehee, Nyjer Morgan, and Eric Thames. Each captain had five picks, and the teams competed head‑to‑head in the team segment before the top individual performances headed to a final showdown.
When asked to pick a favorite to win, Braun answered without hesitation: “The easy answer is Prince. Prince has probably been as good historically at this event as almost anybody. He’s got to be the odds‑on favorite.” Braun’s confidence in Fielder highlights both respect and awareness: Fielder won the All-Star Game Home Run Derby in 2009 as a Brewer and again in 2012 as a Tiger, cementing his standing as one of the premier sluggers in derby history.
“Long day, I’m about to take a nap, but it was a lot of fun to see the fans and a lot of the guys,” Fielder said.
Connecting with Fans
Braun emphasized how much Milwaukee continues to mean to him and his family. “The city of Milwaukee always felt like a second home to me and my family. We have so many friends still in the city. I love the opportunity to interact with the fan base again.” The sentiment reflects Braun’s deep emotional ties to the community he called home for 14 seasons.
When Braun joked about his expectations, “I expected to perform better,” he was being self‑deprecating but sincere. His primary takeaway appeared to be the joy of reconnection, not necessarily stats or slams.
Competition Format
The Alumni Home Run Derby adapted a format reminiscent of the MLB All-Star event but scaled for retired players. Each batter received eight outs or two minutes, whichever came first, followed by a gold ball round with three outs or 45 seconds. Home runs during the gold-ball round counted for triple points.
In the team round, Team Gómez (captained by Carlos Gómez) edged out Team Braun with 15 home runs, fueled in large part by Broxton, who hit five bombs; the most by any participant. Broxton also claimed the individual title, defeating Hart 3-2 with the walk‑off homer that earned him the club’s signature “bowling ball” celebration as teammates collapsed behind him.
“I was coming in to win and have fun and ultimately was just coming back to see the fans and give back to the people who showed me so much love,” Broxton said.
Team Gómez did win, and according to MLB, “[They] will have $10,000 donated to the Autism Society while a $5,000 donation will be to Habitat for Humanity on behalf of Team Braun through the Brewers Community Foundation.”
Braun may not have won the title, but his presence–batting, joking, and connecting–is what made the event resonate. Fans stayed late, and even after a lackluster game, Braun’s teammates brought magic back to the ballpark.
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