The Seattle Pilots joined the American League in 1969, but by the next opening day, they had been reborn as the Milwaukee Brewers.

Interest in the Pilots is much greater now than it was when the team existed. One reason for this posthumous fame is that most of their single season was chronicled in pitcher Jim Bouton's classic book, Ball Four. Although much-maligned by those inside the game, the book did more to endear the Pilots to the public than anything or anyone else did.

The Pilots were also an oddity because they were the only Major League Baseball team in memory to move after just a single season (it happened only one other time in the twentieth century--ironically, to the original Milwaukee Brewers, who became the St. Louis Browns after the 1901 season).

The Pilots were also the first Major League Baseball team to declare bankruptcy wore the wildest-looking uniforms ever seen up to that time.

The Pilots' 45 rpm single with picture sleeve.

(327kb in .wav format or hear the same clip in Real Audio.)

[more]