West Allis NATIONALS Baseball

Always Johnny-on-the-spot, umpire Lee Hardee watches a pick-off attempt at first base. Brian Gibson assists Lee with the call. When asked to evaluate his performace on the play, the game, and the series, the coy Hardee replied, "If you looked this good in an umpires uniform, would you retire?" "Actually, Bobby, I feel I have a lot to offer this up-and-coming generation of zebras-that's umpire-speak, son. Means umpire. Anyway, where was I Louie? Oh yeah, these whippersnappers need to understand that we are the reason that the fans come out to the ballpark. Without us there would be no game." Enlightening words indeed.

Who holds the highest Batting Average in Franchise History? How do the current players compare the Hall of Famers? For answers to these questions and more please go to our "Lifetime Stats" page and view fully updated statistics (2001 now included) Joe Reisinger added on 8-18.

The Nationals successfully defended their Milwaukee County Minor League Title in 2001 with 4 impressive playoff triumphs. On August 4 the Nats defeated their cross town rivals, the White Sox, in the Division Championship Series. Jimmy Dettman, Nick Kibler, and Tim Spata allowed a total of only 2 runs during the evening as the Nationals won by scores of 8-2 and 11-0. On August 11 the Nats faced a rematch with the North Division champion Dodgers. Again the team was up for the challenge defeating the Dodgers by scores of 2-0 and 15-7. Jimmy Dettman's two hit shutout in game one will be remembered as one of the finest big game performances in franchise history.

UPDATE: August 13, 2001 This reporter has verified that Andy Butorac is the canine handler who allegedly was involved in an altercation with Bernie Brewer. The D.A. has agreed to re-open the case based on new evidence brought forward by PETA. Charges were filed against Butorac Sunday evening. Butorac remains at-large. When last seen, he was impersonating a baseball player. Though his disguise is convincing-the costume is authentic-his lack of athleticism and foot speed blow his cover. Expect him to change costumes. Look for him as a pimp driving a tricked-out Cadillac or a Hell's Angel riding a Harley. Butorac is armed and dangerous. He often travels with a killer attack dog. Please approach with caution and notify the authorities with any information. PETA has offered a reward to those offering information leading to the apprehension of Butorac. This web site is committed to this story. As always, stay tuned for updates.

The Nationals made league history today, completing the season with a perfect record. The local champions won all 20 of their regular season contests and all 4 of their playoff contests. The only blemish on the team's record was a June 4th loss the the State League Champion Sheboygan A's. This year's team joins three other Lewie's/Nationals teams in completing the season without a loss. The Lewie's squads of 1982 and 1983 went 15-0 and 18-0 respectively. The 1989 Nationals completed the season with a record of 22-0.