Bitter Brew: The Rise and Fall of Anheuser-Busch and America's Kings of Beer (48 page)

51 “That's my daughter”: Trudy Busch, interview by author, 2011.

53 Gussie and the president: Webster, interview.

53 At Grant's Farm: “Busch Party Receiving Line Ruled Out to Humor Truman.”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, June 8, 1950.

54 All the while:
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, December 7, 1948.

54 He finally filed:
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, August 8, 1951.

54 “how much she paid the yard man”:
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, December 8, 1951.

54 “immaterial”:
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, January 15, 1952.

54 A few weeks later: “Mrs. August A. Busch Jr. Gets Divorce and a Million,”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, February 21, 1942.

55 One particular antisocial episode: “August A. Busch III Questioned by police in Halloween Fracas,”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, November 1, 1949.

56 Years later: Confidential interview by author.

57 a two-week Florida vacation: “Busch and His Swiss Bride to Honeymoon in Florida.”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, March 23, 1952.

58 “August A. Busch Jr. Will Marry Swiss Girl Today”:
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, March 22, 1952.

59 Those rights were then held:
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, April 11, 1953.

60 Done deal: “Busch Sweeps In, Sets Up Regime,”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, March 11, 1953.

60 On March 10, 1953: Ibid.

61 “recruited from a P. G. Wodehouse March on the Rhine”: “Gussie's Move to Save the Cardinals for St. Louis,”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, April 20, 1970.

61 He donned a Cardinals cap: Ibid.

61 Meeting the players: David Halberstam,
October 1964
(New York: Ballantine, 1995), 57.

62 find some black players, fast: Halberstam,
October 1964
, 57.

62 “Gussie likes me”:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, April 20, 1970.

62 If the Cardinals thought:
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, February 23, 1954.

62 “a cold-blooded, beer-peddling business”: “Hearing Today on Anti-Busch Bill,”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, March 18, 1954.

63 “an outstanding leader in St. Louis affairs”: “Civic Leaders Protest Charges against Busch,”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, February 25, 1954.

63 “a lavish and vulgar display”: “Move Started to Scrap Baseball-Business Ties,” Associated Press, March 19, 1954.

63 “stabilized the national league”: “Busch Tells Senator Terms on Which He'd Sell Cardinals,” Associated Press, May 26, 1954.

63 Johnson's motives:
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, February 25, 1954.

64 “I'm through”: “Senator Gives Up Fight to Bar Brewery from Owning Team,”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, May 26, 1954.

65 “August Busch and his beer company”: “Beer Won't Sell If Cards Lose, Wrigley Advises,” Associated Press, March 9, 1954.

65 “Not many people wrote to me”: Al Fleishman, “Conversations with Gussie,”
St. Louis Business Journal
, September 27–October 3, 1982.

66 Sportswriters flocked:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, April 19, 1970.

66 “the biggest bitch that ever happened”: Hernon and Ganey,
Under the Influence
, 169.

67 American millionaire's farmstead:
Grant's Farm
.

68 As luck would have it: Webster, interview.

68 The big house had gone to seed: Trudy Busch, interview.

69 Gussie was not a religious man: Ibid.

70 “magical”: Ibid.

71 “My happiness is my business”: “Gussie Busch.”

72 He was proud of himself, too: Webster, interview.

72 For the first time in his life: Trudy Busch and Adolphus Busch IV, interview by author.

73 Gussie didn't involve: Adolphus Busch IV, interview by author, 2011.

75 “I take sole responsibility”:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, August 27, 1975.

77 Without seeking the approval: Ibid.

78 In her will: Adolphus Busch IV, interview.

79 “All you had to do”: Thomas F. Eagleton, “Recollections of Gussie Busch,”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, October 3, 1989.

79 “You're supposed to have a lot of pull”:
St. Louisan
, January 1976.

86 “Anybody can ride a horse”: Webster, interview.

87 On November 21, 1954: “August A. Busch III Hits Telephone Pole, Two Hurt,”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, November 22, 1954.

89 “never had a daddy”: Confidential interview by author.

89 In truth, he completed: Confidential interview by author.

90 “He didn't trust anyone”: Denny Long, interview by author, 2011.

92 Gussie picked up the tab: Webster, interview.

96 Gussie and Trudy: Webster, interview.

96 Back at the hotel: Ibid.

97 “Throw the fucking ball back”: “Bob Gibson in The Year of the Pitcher: The Cardinals Right-Hander Dominated 1968,” Suite101.com.

98 “You look at this here”:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, April 19, 1970.

99 “I've never once seen him”: Confidential interview by author.

101 “He came to visit me”: Robert S. Weinberg, interview by author, 2011.

102 “Traditionally, getting smart”: R. S. Weinberg and Associates, “Quantitative Methods for Developing Corporate Strategy.”

103 Two weeks later: “All Anheuser-Busch Plants Idled in Strike,”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
May 28, 1969.

105 “I'll give you another chance”: Hernon and Ganey,
Under the Influence
, 23.

106 “it just didn't get any better”: “Near Beer,”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, June 13, 1995.

106 “She was the All-American girl”: Confidential interview by author.

106 The first public sign of trouble: “Mrs. Busch Injured in Crash,”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, May 10, 1968.

107 The pair could not have been: Firsthand account by author.

107 “We were a friendship item”:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, June 13, 1995.

107 When the divorce came: “Mrs. Susan Busch Granted a Divorce”:
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, November 15, 1969.

109 “I don't mean to give you a lecture”: Halberstam,
October 1964
, 361–62.

110 “the first class way this club operates”: “Birds' Players Get the Message, Applaud Busch,”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, March 24, 1969.

111 “fresh nigger”: Personal correspondence files of Gussie Busch, viewed by author.

111 But the reporters present: Halberstam,
October 1964
, 361–62.

113 There is no record: Adolphus Busch IV, interview.

115 The beer business as a whole: Stack, “Concise History.”

116 A-B continued to widen: “Who Rules the Foam?”
Forbes
, December 15, 1972, 39.

116 The man driving the changes: Ibid., 40.

117 Robert Uihlein, August's grandson: Adolphus Busch IV, interview.

118 “get rid of that whole damn department”: Long, interview.

119 “When you try to run a company”: “A Pregnant Elephant,”
Forbes
, May 15, 1971.

119 The announcement was nothing less than: “A Struggle to Stay First in Brewing,”
Business Week
, March 24, 1973, 43.

119 Gussie soon was caught up in: “Busch Gardens, Houston Open for Business,”
Budcaster
, 1971.

121 “that arrogant little prick”: Adolphus Busch IV, interview.

123 “seemed chiefly intent on revenge”: “Gussie vs. the Cards,”
Newsweek
, June 19, 1972, 61.

124 It got worse:
Business Week
, March 24, 1973, 43.

126 It was a bad start: Ibid.

127 The economic crisis: “Gussie Busch's Bitter Brew,”
Forbes
, June 1, 1974.

127 Schlitz quickly became:
Business Week
, March 24, 1973.

128 Of course, Gussie's refusal: Confidential interview by author.

128 The car privileges continued: Ibid.

130 At 4:00 p.m. that afternoon: “Man Is Killed, Busch Daughter Critically Injured in Crash,”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, December 7, 1974.

140 “After more than 50 years”: “Grand Old Man of Brewing Steps Aside as Chief Executive,”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, May 9, 1975.

141 “we might be able to get back”: Adolphus Busch IV, interview.

143 The saddest chapter: “Schlitz Recalls Beer Said to ‘Taste Funny,'”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, September 7, 1975.

144 In the normal brewing process: “What Went Wrong,”
Advertising Age
, April 13, 1981, 61–64.

147 At 1:00 a.m.: Hernon and Ganey,
Under the Influence
, 395.

150 “has cooperated with us fully”: “Killing at Busch Estate Is Found an Accident,”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, June 9, 1976.

151 The grieving Leeker family: Hernon and Ganey,
Under the Influence
, 306.

152 While Peter's case was moving: “Crazy To do Anything Like This, Busch Says of Clydesdale Shooting.”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, October 10, 1976.

154 “irretrievably broken”: “Mrs. Busch Requests an Open Hearing,”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, January 12, 1978.

154 Trudy obtained an injunction: “Grant's Farm Bars Brother of Mrs. Busch,”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, February 9, 1976.

155 A divorce was granted: “Busch, Wife Granted Divorce after 25 Years,”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, February 28, 1978.

158 Local 6 members had recently ratified: “Beer Strike May Have Broad Labor Impact,”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, May 18, 1976.

158 “My people are bitter”: “Dissident Teamster Leader Hopping Mad at Busch Strike,”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, March 28, 1976.

159 In June 1881: “100 Years Ago,”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, June 2, 1981.

159 The Teamsters International in Chicago: “Busch Resuming Beer Production,”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, March 23, 1976.

159 “This is nothing but scab beer”: “Pickets Plan to Block Movement of Busch Beer,”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, March 24, 1976.

160 Violence flared: “19 Busch Pickets Seized in Blocking of Yeast Trucks,”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, April 28, 1976.

160 Art Barhorst defended: “Busch Says He'll Fire Lawbreakers,”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, April 29, 1976.

161 And so it had: “Busch Workers Back after 95-Day Strike,”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, June 4, 1976.

161 He showed his gratitude: “Busch Firm Forms Political Arm,”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, July 27, 1976.

164 While Anheuser-Busch management was distracted: “We Missed the Boat: We Were Unsmarted,”
Forbes
, August 7, 1978.

166 The marketing guys sheepishly explained: Confidential interview by author.

168 Miller said as much: “Facts of Light Shed on Miller-Busch Feud,”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, March 23, 1979.

169 Sensing a delicious opportunity: Confidential interviews by author.

170 The two beer companies:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, March 23, 1979.

170 Miller finally went with a nuclear option: “Whap! Bam! Zap! The Battle of the Beers Goes On,”
St. Louis Globe-Democrat
, February 2, 1979.

171 “a publicity ploy”: “Busch Foaming over Latest Miller Attack,”
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
, August 15, 1970.

171 “For six years now”:
Forbes
, August 7, 1988.

172 “You are not to have anything to do”: Confidential interview by author.

172 “Miller is aggressive”: “The Battle of the Beers,”
Newsweek
, September 4, 1978.