WWII veterans attend World Series thanks to Brewers' Christian Yelich

Sverre Vinje had hoped to work at one more Milwaukee Brewers game in 2026.

That didn’t pan out, but lower level tickets behind home plate for World Series Game 1 made a nice consolation prize.

That’s where the 102-year-old U.S. Navy veteran sat to watch the Brewers play the Tampa Bay Rays on Oct. 23 at American Family Field, alongside another World War II veteran, Bill Wattleston, 98, who served in the Army.

“The Brewers asked me originally to come to sing tonight,” said Vinje, who brought the house down with his renditions of “God Bless America” on Sept. 11 and during the first game of the National League Division Series between the Brewers and San Diego Padres.

Vinje, a Minnesota native who lives in Rockford, Illinois, was disappointed to learn that it wasn’t in Major League Baseball’s plans, but as a lifelong sports fan, he was thrilled to attend a Series game, an experience neither he nor Wattleston could have imagined.

“They're gonna win the World Series,” Wattleston predicted after recording some of the pregame festivities on his cellphone.

He remembers how happy he was when Milwaukee got baseball back 56 years ago after losing the Braves to Atlanta. And now this.

Vinje and Wattleston were at the game courtesy of Brewers captain Christian Yelich in conjunction with the Major League Players Association Players Trust, the union’s charitable arm, and the help of VetsRoll, an Illinois-based organization that serves veterans. In August, Yelich was recognized by the Players Trust as its Most Valuable Philanthropist for the month.

Yelich informed the two in a video that they would be going to the game, and his mother greeted them when they arrived.

“With the [Players Association] the opportunity came about, and I thought it would be awesome to give back to some amazing heroes that have been waiting a really long time for this moment to be able to come and enjoy the game and take in the atmosphere,” Yelich said during a media session before the game.

“I thought it was a really cool opportunity, and I'm glad it was able to be made possible.”