‘Respect’: Panthers’ Zito gifts Cup time to Brewers

MILWAUKEE — Long before he built the Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup championship roster, Bill Zito was a teenager working as a Milwaukee Brewers clubhouse attendant during the franchise’s lone pennant-winning season.

The Panthers’ general manager and president of hockey operations returned to his roots and allowed the Brewers to get a glimpse at one of the most prestigious prizes in professional sports. As the Brewers arrived at American Family Field before Wednesday night’s game with the Los Angeles Dodgers, they found the Stanley Cup sitting on a table in their clubhouse.

“In the hockey world, that’s sort of a gesture of appreciation and respect and thanks,” Zito said. “I wanted to do that.”

Zito brought the Cup to the city where he grew up to show his appreciation for the years he worked with the Brewers back in the 1980s. He was a toddler when his family moved from Pennsylvania to the Milwaukee area. He stayed in Milwaukee through high school.

He also spent three summers as a clubhouse attendant with the Brewers. That included the 1982 season in which the Brewers made their only World Series appearance, losing to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games.

“I was in the visiting locker room the first year and two years in the Brewers locker room,” Zito recalled.

Zito took over as the Panthers’ general manager in September 2020 and added the title of president of hockey operations in April. The Panthers won the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history this year, beating the Edmonton Oilers in seven games.

The Brewers loved having Zito back and getting a look at the Cup.

Zito posed for pictures holding the Cup while flanked by longtime Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker and clubhouse manager Tony Migliaccio. During his stint as a Brewers clubhouse attendant, Zito had worked with Migliaccio.

Brewers outfielder Sal Frelick was particularly appreciative. Frelick, who grew up in Massachusetts, said he started playing hockey at the age of 6 and continued all the way through high school.

Although Frelick had said he’d seen the Stanley Cup before from afar, this was the first time he was able to get this close to it.

“It’s so cool,” Frelick said. “It’s even cooler that Mr. Zito brought it. He was once here as a bat boy. Now he’s obviously the GM over there in Florida, and you’ve seen what he’s done with their team.”