The Milwaukee Brewers said goodbye to Hank the Dog on Thursday night.
“The beloved Hank, “The Ballpark Pup,” passed away earlier today,” the Brewers shared in a news release Thursday night.
Hank was the unofficial mascot of the Brewers for some years, after he wandered up to the team’s spring training facility in Arizona back in February of 2014 when he was 2- or 3-years-old.
“Throughout that spring, Hank spent his days at the complex and his nights in the safety of Brewers homes,” the news release said. “Every day, Hank participated in team activities, ranging from workouts on the field to doing meet and greets with fans attending games.”
We talked with Brewers president Rich Schlesinger back in May on WIZM’s La Crosse Talk PM about Hank the Dog (5:30 into podcast).
The pup was, of course, named after the great Hank Aaron, who began and ended his career with the Brewers.
Marti Wronski, the Brewers chief operating officer, and her family adopted Hank after spring training in 2014 and have had him the past decade.
“Hank was truly loved by our family and we are so grateful for the ten years we had with him,” Wronski said in the news release. “Hank seemed to know that he was rescued by the entire Brewers family and he never met a fan – or really any human – he didn’t love. We are heartbroken to be without him but are grateful for the joy he brought to so many and the spotlight he helped shine on animal rescue.”
When Hank made his Miller Park debut in March 2014, fans got up at 4:30 a.m. to get in line for a 7 a.m. meet-and-greet.
TOP PHOTO: FILE – Hank the Dog seen here with the Milwaukee Brewers sausages (PHOTO: @Brewers on Facebook)