Bud Selig was born in Milwaukee to parents of European Jewish ancestry. He played baseball as a child but quit because he was unable to hit a curveball. Selig received a bachelor's degree in American History and Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1956. While at the University of Wisconsin, he became a member of Pi Lambda Phi Fraternity. After serving two years in the armed forces, Selig returned to Milwaukee and began working in the automobile business with his father.