MILWAUKEE — It is a vital item on the Milwaukee Brewers’ packing list for every road trip, right along with the bats and balls and uniforms and equipment, folded up and unfurled in the visiting clubhouse upon arrival.
See, the Brewers aren’t simply playing for Milwaukee. It is why they pack a banner with the state of Wisconsin, the Brewers logo and dozens of cities and towns and villages printed in the background.
From Ashwaubenon to Clam Lake, Fond du Lac to Wauzeka, the Brewers take a little piece of Wisconsin with them wherever they go.
And in Games 1 and 2 of the World Series, Wisconsinites are returning the favor.
They fanned out from all four corners of the state with one destination in mind: American Family Field, where, perhaps even moreso than the Packers and Bucks, Wisconsin’s Team truly resides.
The support – which fueled a feverish market for tickets– has been noticed by the men playing for those fans.
“You can feel the excitement in the city for this series and this team and it’s been a big honor being able to go out and represent them,” outfielder and team captain Christian Yelich, a Brewer since 2017, tells USA TODAY Sports.
“It’s been great to see all the happiness this team has brought to the state and the community.”
In Game 1, that happiness was palpable, not unlike the smoke rising from the tailgates that make Brewers games a uniquely Midwestern experience.
Still on a Brewers honeymoon
They start showing up four and a half hours before gametime, in SUVs and minivans, sturdy trucks that look like they just got back from a hunting trip, even college kids in their beaters.
American Family Field is the center point of this circle that fans out throughout the Upper Midwest, drawing Brewers fans from each corner of Wisconsin, and even beyond.
Once they arrive at this 25-year-old stadium just west of Milwaukee, a bevy of vehicles take part in a tradition far more associated with the gridiron: Tailgating. Out come the grills, the bratwursts, the koozies stuffed with bottles of PBR and Miller High Life.
That’s how Rich and Patti Hall threw down before Game 1 – but not after a journey typical of the far-flung Brewers fan.
They made the five-hour drive from Hudson, which is just over the Mississippi River from Minnesota. But it’s still Wisconsin, and the Brewers are very much in their blood.
After all, their honeymoon was delayed in 1982 when Rich deferred it to attend Game 7 of the World Series in St. Louis, where Harvey’s Wallbangers met their unfortunate end in a 6-3 loss on Oct. 20.
Now, they make the long drive to partake in what can only be described as an intrinsic part of area behavior.
“This is Milwaukee,” says Rich Hall, standing outside his truck in the American Family lot. “I’ve been to every stadium except one in the United States, and this is cultural.
“The parking lot is filling up four and a half hours before the game. What does that tell you?”
Brothers in brats
It tells you that the Crew that grills together, stays together. Chris and Kurt Kessler are brothers who grew up in Cuba City, Wisconsin, a nearly three-hour drive from Milwaukee.
Now, they converge on American Family from Sheboygan and Portage, respectively. Kurt has a 1982 World Series button affixed to the side of his cap, which remains a (somewhat joking) bone of contention between the two.
“My brother didn’t take me,” says Chris.
Kurt insists the outcome against the Rays will be different than the unfortunate turn of events in St. Louis 44 years ago.
“I was there,” he says. “We were definitely the better team.”
Says Chris, needle always out: “He’s not bitter.”
They’re both ticketed for this Series, armed with a pack of bratwurst and cigars.
Roam the concourses and the parking lots, and it’s clear that while “Brewers Nation” may not be a thing, the pull of ‘Sconsin expats remains strong. Pat Grainger made a six-hour drive from Baraga, Michigan, on the Upper Peninsula. She’s been going to Brewers games in 1972, with her husband.
Sure, maybe Baraga doesn’t qualify for the Brewers’ iconic clubhouse flag. But the players can feel the support, from all quarters.
“The experience has been awesome, just to kind of get a feel for how special this is for everyone, not just us,” says outfielder Garrett Mitchell, who like Yelich is a Southern California native.
Yelich has been a Brewer since 2018, now their captain and still their most recognizable face. The buzz is unavoidable, but within that is an undeniable love of city and state.
“I think people coming up to you saying they've been waiting their whole life for this series and for the team to be back at this point, it's pretty cool,” says Yelich. “It's been a really cool part of this run that we don't take lightly. We know we represent a city and a state.
“And we're proud to do it.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Brats, beers and best friends: World Series tailgates prove Brewers are Wisconsin's team