Counsell left the Brewers as the all-time winningest manager in club history. In Milwaukee, his legacy comes down to culture, performance — and his admiration for his home and state.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy has seen a sentimental side of Cubs skipper Craig Counsell that many don’t get to see, having been Counsell’s bench coach in Milwaukee and manager at Notre Dame.
“I think he just doesn’t let you see that part,” said Murphy, who was Counsell’s bench coach for eight seasons. “He’s not going to let anybody see that. I’ve seen a very different side of Craig, so I think you have to keep it business because this [game] is important to a lot of guys in there.
“We owe it to the players in there to be on track.”
It’s undeniable that Counsell, who grew up in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, had an impact on the Brewers. He returned to Milwaukee’s American Family Field on Monday for the first time since leaving in the Cubs’ 5-1 loss to the Brewers.
Counsell left the Brewers as the all-time winningest manager in club history (707 wins).
