Magic is a captivating and mystical art form that has been practiced for centuries. It not only entertains audiences but also evokes wonder and astonishment. Behind every successful magician is their loyal companion - their bae and frill. The term "bae" refers to the magician's assistant or partner who plays a crucial role in creating illusions and tricks. This individual is often seen on stage alongside the magician, assisting with props, setting the stage, and sometimes even participating in the tricks themselves. The bae brings an added sense of mystery to the performance and works hand in hand with the magician to create a seamless act.
Bonnie Brewer (Milwaukee Brewers)
Bonnie Brewer is a former official mascot for the Milwaukee Brewers, appearing at Milwaukee County Stadium from 1973 to 1979. Bonnie was portrayed as a young blonde woman in a gold blouse and short blue lederhosen, wearing a baseball cap and frequently carrying a blue-and-gold broom which she would use to sweep the bases.
Bonnie was first introduced as the female companion to the Brewers' mascot Bernie Brewer. Bernie and Bonnie were created by then-team vice president Dick Hackett as part of an effort to create a lively atmosphere at County Stadium, which also included hiring organist Frank Charles to play a Wurlitzer during the games. As Hackett remembers it, Bernie and Bonnie were added over the objections of team owner Bud Selig.
Bonnie was noted mainly for her colorful antics during the seventh-inning stretch. As the grounds crew swept the infield, Bonnie wielded her signature broom, sweeping off each base in turn. After sweeping third base, she would playfully swat the opposing team's third-base coach on the backside with her broom, following it up with a kiss on his cheek.
Bonnie was discontinued after the 1979 season, although no clear reason has ever been given for her "firing". Bernie Brewer was discontinued as a mascot in 1984, although he was brought back as a costumed mascot in 1993, complete with full-body costume and large foam head. Bonnie Brewer returned as part of the nostalgia-heavy final home stand at County Stadium, September 18–28, 2000. As of 2008, Bonnie is part of the Brewers' "Retro Fridays" promotions at Miller Park, incorporating the traditional base sweeping as well as dancing with Bernie on Bernie's Dugout during the fans' singing of the "Beer Barrel Polka" in the seventh inning stretch.
Bernie Brewer: Mascot, Cheerleader… Spy?
With a 7-3 win on July 8, 1973, the Brewers completed a resounding doubleheader sweep of the Texas Rangers and climbed above .500 at the latest point in any of their three seasons of existence. The Brewers were one of the AL ’s surprise teams that year. They had opened June by winning 15 of 16 games and were now only four games behind the first-place Yankees as the all-star break neared. The Rangers lingered pathetically in last place, already 24 games below .500. The pounding of the Rangers by the Brewers, in this context, seemed nothing out of the norm. Texas manager Whitey Herzog, however, still felt that his team had been cheated. Suffering from either the strain of a miserable Rangers team or the 90-plus degree summer heat in Milwaukee that afternoon, Herzog unloaded in the clubhouse following the losses. It was not the Brewers hitters, he claimed, but their mascot, who had beaten him.
“Can you imagine a damn team that has to cheat to beat us?” Herzog howled to reporters after the game. Herzog went on to explain that during the second game of the doubleheader – the third in a row in which Milwaukee blasted Texas pitching – Rangers first base coach Jackie Moore noticed some strange activity in the centerfield bleacher chalet of mascot Bernie Brewer. The chalet, with its now-famous slide and giant beer mug, had been installed earlier that season as a promotional gimmick. The lederhosen-clad Bernie, played by Marquette University student Dan McCarthy, cheered on the home team while they were batting and slid into the mug after each home run. But Moore and Herzog soon noticed him doing something else. He clapped once – so the two claimed – before a Texas pitcher threw a curveball and not at all when the pitcher delivered a fastball.
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Sign-stealing is an old (and somewhat accepted) practice in baseball. Tipping off a batter to a breaking pitch could give him an advantage. The Rangers also noticed what appeared to be a man, who appeared to have a set of binoculars, hiding in the chalet. If this man was spying on the catcher’s signs to the pitcher and then relaying those signs to the Brewers batters, so Herzog thought, it could explain the Brewers’ recent hit barrage. Convinced he was being had, Herzog sent pitcher Jim Bibby, who had been shelled in game one, to go investigate. According the Mike Shropshite’s Seasons in Hell, a recounting of the 1973-75 Rangers, Herzog said “I wanted to send Bibby up there to Bernie Brewer’s little house and kick his gooddamn ass.” Instead Herzog sent the pitcher on a recon mission. A team official prevent Bibby from going up to the chalet, but Bibby told Herzog he had seen two boxes and a telephone being removed from the house. “Watergate has nothing on Bernie’s chalet at County Stadium , to hear the Texas Rangers tell it,” the Milwaukee Sentinel observed.
Herzog took his complaints to the umpiring crew, screaming at them about the conspiracy. Mid-game, they ordered the second man out of the chalet and had McCarthy remove his white gloves – a part of the costume Herzog thought were used to better relay his clapping. The second man, the Brewers claimed, was an assistant who inflated the balloons that flew out of the mug after each home run. Herzog continued his rage after the game, blaming that “little asshole in the costume” for his pitching staff’s sour luck.
McCarthy, the “little asshole” in question, later denied any role in sign-stealing, “I played outfield in Little and Babe Ruth leagues and I can’t tell one sign from another. I wouldn’t know what to look for.” Brewers manager Del Crandall cheekily admitted the team did have a spy in Bernie’s roost and “revealed” the identity of the mysterious second man. “It’s Bud Selig,” he said with a laugh. “Who’d you think we’d send up there?”
If Bernie was stealing signs back in 1973, it didn’t do much good. The Brewers scored 10 fewer runs at home that season as they did on the road. And a week after the incident, they beat the Rangers three more times in a row – in Texas .
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Matthew J. Prigge
Matthew J. Prigge is a freelance author and historian from Milwaukee. He is the author of four books, and wrote two weekly blogs for shepherdexpress.com on topics of local history.
Bernie Brewer: The Mascot With the Moustache
Fireworks explode! The crowd cheers! It's outta here! These are the sounds following a homerun by the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. For fans, this is a time to celebrate and have fun. For Bernie Brewer— the official mascot of the Milwaukee Brewers—this is a time to get to work.
Located in the left field bleachers, Bernie can be seen cheering, dancing or waving a Brewer flag from the porch of Bernie's Dugout. When the Brewers hit a homerun, Bernie takes off down a huge yellow slide as the fans go wild.
Bernie Brewer became a Milwaukee tradition in 1970. Milt Mason, at age 69, was the first Bernie on the scene, emerging to draw more fans to the games. He notoriously sat atop the scoreboard in a trailer, vowing not to come down until attendance reached 40,000 at the ballpark. On Aug. 16 of that year, 44,387 fans attended the game and Bernie Brewer came down from his perch. After that day, Bernie became a regular fixture at home games.
A home was eventually constructed for the Milwaukee mascot—Bernie's Chalet. During games, he would travel down a slide into an oversized beer stein to celebrate home runs and wins. In 1984, the Chalet was taken down during renovations (a sound tower was built in its place) and the mascot retired. Bernie's Chalet found a new home at Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee. Lakefront proudly displays the Chalet and allows visitors to enter and take photos of Bernie's former home.
Eventually, fans demanded the return of Bernie. The Milwaukee Brewers brought back their beloved mascot in 1993. The cheering and dancing Brewer has been a staple at home games ever since. When the Brewers opened a new stadium—Miller Park—in 2001, they created a permanent home for Bernie, called Bernie's Dugout.
It's safe to say that this Milwaukee favorite is here to stay.
Get up! Get up! Get Outta Here! Gone!
The bae brings an added sense of mystery to the performance and works hand in hand with the magician to create a seamless act. Frill, on the other hand, refers to the enchanting elements and embellishments that are present in magic performances. These are the small details that enhance the overall experience and make the tricks more visually appealing.
Frill can come in various forms, such as colorful scarves, bunting, shiny props, or even intricate stage designs. They add an element of excitement and allure to the magician's act, making it even more captivating for the audience. Magicians rely on their bae and frill to create a memorable and enchanting performance. The bae's presence not only provides practical assistance but also adds an element of human connection and interaction to the act. Moreover, frill helps to create a visually stunning and immersive experience for the audience, making the magic tricks even more awe-inspiring. In conclusion, both the bae and frill are essential elements of magic performances. The bae assists the magician in creating illusions and engaging with the audience, while frill adds visual appeal and enhances the overall experience. Together, they contribute to the enchantment and wonder of magic, leaving audiences captivated and amazed..
Reviews for "Decoding the Magic: Understanding the Influence of Baes and Frills in Fashion"
1. Samantha - 2/5
"Magics bae and frill" was not what I expected at all. The storyline was weak and the characters felt one-dimensional. The writing style felt forced and lacked depth. I found it hard to connect with any of the characters or care about what happened to them. Overall, I was disappointed with this book and wouldn't recommend it.
2. John - 1/5
I couldn't even finish reading "Magics bae and frill". The plot was confusing and all over the place. The writing was filled with grammatical errors and the dialogue felt forced. The characters were flat and had no development. I found myself getting bored and frustrated, and ultimately I gave up on trying to finish it. This book was a major letdown.
3. Emily - 2/5
I had high hopes for "Magics bae and frill", but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The pacing was incredibly slow, and the plot meandered without clear direction. The romance felt forced and lacked chemistry. The writing style was overly descriptive and weighed down the story. I struggled to stay engaged and ended up feeling disappointed. It just wasn't my cup of tea.
4. Michael - 3/5
"Magics bae and frill" had an interesting concept, but it was poorly executed. The plot had potential, but it became convoluted and confusing as the story progressed. The characters were underdeveloped and their motivations felt unclear. The writing style was average, but nothing stood out as exceptional. Overall, I found myself wanting more from this book and feeling let down by the end result.
5. Sarah - 2/5
I was excited to read "Magics bae and frill" based on the promising blurb, but I was left disappointed. The characters were cliché and lacked depth, making it hard to invest in their journey. The magic system was poorly explained and left me confused. The pacing was inconsistent, with long periods of boredom followed by rushed action scenes. While there were some redeeming qualities, I ultimately found this book underwhelming.