MLB Commissioner Bud Selig reflects on his journey ahead of retirement

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Bud Selig, the Commissioner of Major League Baseball is making his rounds -- as this is his last baseball season as commissioner. He's reflecting on his time spent at the helm of Major League Baseball.

On Monday, April 14th, Selig was the guest speaker at the Greater Milwaukee Committee's April membership meeting -- where he reflected on the past, the present and the future.

Bud Selig's name has become synonymous with Major League Baseball. He plans to retire as commissioner in January of 2015.

As he said at the Greater Milwaukee Committee meeting on Monday, it has been one heck of a journey.

"I will always say out of all of the wonderful things that have happened to me, I think the thing that I'll always be proudest of is bringing baseball back to Milwaukee because no one understands the huge odds against us," Selig said.

Selig says the doubters were everywhere -- but he was a young man with a dream, a vision and courage.

The focus and controversy changed many years later, when the Brewers were firmly in Milwaukee, and a new stadium was in his sights. It's something else that worked out well for Selig.

"There's no question the roof is one of the great factors in the Brewers success, and without, you know -- I remember I did this for 35 to 40 years and April and May were brutal, brutal months," Selig said.

Selig calls baseball a social institution and resistant to change. Social, considering it was one of the first institutions in the country to integrate. Slow to change, considering things like inter-league play, wild card and revenue sharing, and the replay rule.

"I think it's off to a fantastic start. I'm proud of what we've done," Selig said.

Now, Milwaukee is in the midst of discussions about a new downtown arena -- a new place for the Bucks and its owner, Senator Herb Kohl.

"The Senator and I have spoken. We went to school together. We were college roommates together. We've spoken millions of times since then and those conversations stay between us," Selig said.

Selig says the future of baseball is bright. He says Saturday's attendance (April 12th) for Major League baseball was the second-highest April date in baseball history -- and the Brewers played a significant role in that.