as told to me by Bruce Alexander (with some of my own observations and inclusions)
As a kid growing up, there were these great beer commercials about how beer could make you a man’s man, and that everyone deserved the best and seeing the world and all that stuff.
At the time, Schlitz, which is no longer in business, built a campaign around the slogan, “Schlitz, the beer that made Milwaukee famous.” Now the joke.
It seems there was a pitcher for the Milwaukee Braves (the Braves were in Milwaukee those days) named Mel Famey. And, it is told he liked to down a few Schlitz beers between each inning during games to quench his thirst.
On one particular hot and humid day, Mel was downing more than normal and it began to affect his performance. He began to start walking batter after batter, until finally, the manager had to yank him from the game. He was drunk.
After that, it was said by the winning manager when asked why they won, “Schlitz, the beer that made Mel Famey walk us.” (say it out loud)
OK, this is not a true story.
Tom,
ReplyDeleteyou clearly did not have enough Schlitz in you the other night.
It was Mel Famey who was the pitcher who threw down 2 to 3 beers between innings. And it was the manager of the winning team who said, "How'd we win tonight's game? Credit goes to Schlitz, the beer that made Mel Famey walk us."
It's a fun joke, and probably works best with the verbalizations that you can bring to the table.
I kept thinking, Mel Farley, is that right? Glad for the correction, or your joke would never be told properly. It is now fixed.
ReplyDeleteEven as a Canadian (and a blonde) I got it.
ReplyDeleteCUTE ONE! -Brenda-
I can find no Mel Famey in the MLB archives.
ReplyDeleteWow...
DeleteYou are a bright one, aren't you?
When I tell the joke, I usually say that the pitcher was named Millard Fillmore Famey, after the late not-so-great president. Or, as he's more popularly known, Mill Femi.
ReplyDeleteIn the version of the joke I heard, the pitcher was Milton Famey. It was the beer that made Milt Famey walk us.
ReplyDeletethis is a bettrr way to tell it.
ReplyDeleteEver heard the story of Mel Famous?
Schlitz was a popular beer about 50 years ago when the Milwaukee Braves played in Wisconsin. Schlitz was called the beer that made Milwaukee famous. But around the time the Braves left for Atlanta, the beer lost its appeal. Schlitz eventually went out of business. But it wasn’t because of the Braves leaving, but instead because of one player.
He was probably the best pitcher that ever threw a baseball. Back in the 1950s, there were a lot of people who thought so. His name was Mel Famous. Have you ever heard of him? Well, there is a reason for that. Here is the story.
Mel Famous of the Milwaukee Braves was a natural -- a once-in-a-lifetime player whose one hundred and five mile per hour fast ball blew away the best hitters. His 90 MPH curve ball would start out like it was going to hit the batter's ear, only to break at the last instant and hit the outside corner of the plate for a strike. And is control was flawless. He always threw strikes, He threw about one ball outside the strike zone each inning.
Why then, you might ask, is he not in the Hall of Fame? Why haven't you ever heard of him?
Well Ol' Mel really liked to celebrate after games with a lot of drinks and like six cheeseburgers or chili dogs. His parties became almost legendary around the country, but he never let it affect his pitching until The Braves and the Yankees were in the World Series!
He was pitching the first game against the Yankees in Milwaukee. He was so excted he decided to party the night before the big game. Mel's thirst got the better of him. He had a dozen hot dogs for dinner and washed it down with two cases of beer.
As you might imagine, the next morning Mel didn't feel too good. But his excitement made him poised and full of focused energy. He felt he would strike out 20 Yankees in a row.
But being the pro that he was, Mel managed to do just fine. For the first batter Strike 1,2,3. All fastballs. The 2nd batter he threw his curve ball for swinging strike. Then 2 fastballs on the outside corner, The 2nd inning was the same, 9 pitches,3 more in a row.
The third inning he decided to throw all curves to the first batter. All fastballs to the second batter. Same results , all strikes and the batters did not even hit a foul ball. Mel was feeling great!. When the ninth batter, the opposing pitcher, came to bat; everyone was expecting history to be made with 27 pitches and 9 straight strikeouts. The first pitch was too high, Ball one. The second pitch was even higher, ball two. Two more pitches missed the strike zone. The batter walked, but he wasn’t surprised. He was a friend of Mel’s and knew what Mel did the night before. The first baseman was shocked,” what happened? “ he asked. The batter said, “It was the beer that made Mel Famous walk me”
Mel never threw another strike that game. Milwaukee lost all four games. Mel never threw another strike in any game ever again.
Of course, he was drinking Schlitz. The beer became unpopular as did the Braves. They moved to Atlanta. Schlitz as no longer called “The beer that made Milwaukee famous.”
Why? Because as the batter said, “It was the beer that made Mel Famous walk me.”
I can’t remember how it was when I first heard it years ago. But it was dirtier and funnier than this.
ReplyDelete