MILWAUKEE -- Before anyone could GET… THESE… HANDS… from the WWE superstar, Braun Strowman had to get a name. And his favorite Major League Baseball team provided the inspiration.

Strowman, who was born Adam Scherr in Sherrills Ford, N.C., told the story while visiting Miller Park on Sunday.

“When I was first with WWE going on six years ago almost, we were coming down to the time crunch of figuring out my new character name,” Strowman said. “Everything that I submitted, they either had legal issues with or didn’t like.

“Randomly, SportsCenter was on at the WWE Performance Center, and they were talking about Ryan Braun. I was like, ‘Braun. That’s got a pretty good ring to it, and it fits me and the way I am and my build and everything.’ So we pitched Braun. Originally it was ‘Stowman,’ but we changed it to Strowman. And here we are.

“The rest is history. Ryan Braun is a big contributing factor to The Monster Among Men becoming a real life character.”

Strowman has Wisconsin roots. His mother’s family is from Hartford and his father’s family hails from Slinger, both within an hour’s drive from Miller Park. He has been wrestling under the Monday Night Raw brand, but when WWE Smackdown had a show in Madison this weekend, Strowman asked WWE Chairman Vince McMahon to cross over.

“I got to have my 92-year-old grandfather come out and watch me wrestle along with my great aunt and uncle,” Strowman said. “It was the first time they ever got to see us live. So Wisconsin is very special for me. This is my other home.”

Strowman has befriended Brewers media relations director and wrestling super fan Mike Vassallo in recent years, which led to another visit to Miller Park on Sunday morning. Strowman took a few trips down Bernie Brewer’s slide, visited with players before their series finale against the Dodgers and threw the ceremonial first pitch.

Among his photo ops were reigning National League MVP Christian Yelich and wrestling aficionado Eric Thames. From time to time, Thames has tinkered with the idea of a post-baseball career in WWE.

“I mean, if he wants to come in the ring and get these hands like anybody else, he can come get them,” Strowman said. “I’ll pass them out graciously.”