Harambee in Milwaukee in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Borchert Field
⎯⎯⎯
The Milwaukee Bears
Photographed by Paul F, August 26, 2010
1. Borchert Field Marker
West side of two sided marker.
The rectangular wooden ballpark was renamed in 1927 following the death of Brewers owner Otto Borchert. It was the home field for such Hall of Famers as Al Simmons, Eddie Mathews, Bill Veeck, Casey Stengel, and Pete Hill, as well as Olympian Jim Thorpe. Milwaukee natives who played at Borchert Field on their way to the majors included Happy Felsch, Joe Hauser, and Ken Keltner. Home runs often landed on porches across the street from the neighborhood ballpark, especially when Cooperstown legends such as Lou Gehrig, Willie Mays, Stan Musial, Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson visited.
After
this page online
Negro National League 1923
The Milwaukee Bears were led by player-manager Joseph Preston Pete Hill. Hill was a star outfielder for the Chicago American Giants, and he later served as player-manager for the Detroit Stars and the Baltimore Black Sox. A prolific hitter, Hill was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.
While barnstorming teams featuring Negro League legends like James Cool Papa Bell drew sizable crowds on their occasional visits to Milwaukee, the Bears were hampered by scheduling conflicts at Borchert
Photographed by Paul F, August 26, 2010
2. The Milwaukee Bears Negro National League 1923 Marker
East side of two sided marker
Erected 2008 by Yesterdays Negro League Baseball Players Foundation, Milwaukee County Historical Society, and Milwaukee County Parks Department. Sponsored by the Milwaukee Brewers.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Sports. In addition, it is included in the Baseball Hall of Famers series list. A significant historical date for this entry is May 20, 1888.
Location. 43° 4.456′ N, 87° 54.991′ W. Marker is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in Milwaukee County. It is in Harambee. It is at the intersection of North 5th Street and West Burleigh Street, on the right when traveling north on North 5th Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Milwaukee WI 53212, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Wisconsin. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, on the Great
Photographed by Paul F, August 26, 2010
3. Borchert Field/The Milwaukee Bears Negro National League 1923 (Two sided marker) Marker
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: St. Boniface Catholic Church (approx. Ύ mile away); Rally at Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church (approx. one mile away); In Honor of the Men and Women of the 25th Ward (approx. 1.1 miles away); 5th Street Freedom House (approx. 1.2 miles away); Milwaukee Chinese Laundry Era (approx. 1.3 miles away); Old Sauk Trail (approx. 1.4 miles away); Stop on the Underground Railroad (approx. 1½ miles away); Kilbourntown House (approx. 1½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Milwaukee.
Also see . . . Welcome to Borchert Field. (Submitted on September 9, 2010, by Paul Fehrenbach of Richfield, Wisconsin.)
Additional commentary.
1. First-name discrepancy for Pete Hill
The back side of this marker has Joseph Preston Pete Hill. But Wikipedia has John Preston "Pete" Hill (October 12, 1882 November 19, 1951).
— Submitted August 3, 2026, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 3, 2026. It was originally submitted on September 2, 2010, by Paul Fehrenbach of Richfield, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 4,955 times since then and 167 times this year. Last updated on August 3, 2026, by Carl Gordon Moore Jr. of North East, Maryland. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 2, 2010, by Paul Fehrenbach of Richfield, Wisconsin. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
