What Does Going to the World Series Mean to You?

[Cool Hand Lucroy]

Reading this thread is so great. Like, beyond great. I'm a professor, teaching mostly literature and writing classes (I get to teach a class called literature and sport, which is a major thrill). The thing that has kind of defined my life is storytelling. I love novels and film and, maybe most of all, sport. I'm fascinated by how people make meaning from it, how they put it into words. That's the good stuff right there.

Baseball, like most things, only has meaning because we give it that power. But, man, can it ever reward you when you surrender to it, even when the reward is only there because of all the difficulties along the way.

I cannot wait to watch these games. And I'm excited to see what they reveal about this team and this season, whichever way it happens to go. I know one thing for sure: we'll make it special, even if it's just especially painful. That's what we do, and we'll be back at it next year, changed in some way no matter what.

[Brewin]

This is a topic I've thought about a lot the last several days. I was a junior in HS in 1982 and didn't even come close to appreciating how special the 1982 team was at that time. I was an avid fan, inheriting the love of baseball from my Dad. I didn't attend any games of the WS in person in 1982, but promised myself I would go no matter what if it happened again. 

In 2026, it has happened again, and I will be there tomorrow night!! Unfortunately, my Dad is no longer around to appreciate this team, but he will be with me in spirit tomorrow night, along with my son as the Brewers move one step closer to the ultimate goal (hopefully) of a WS championship.

[FidoMcCokefiend]

I was born April 1, 1970 in Milwaukee, WI. 
The Milwaukee Brewers officially became a franchise on April 1, 1970.

One of my first memories of my life was tailgating in a Volkswagen Beetle. So young that me and my 2 sisters were able to sit in the front "trunk" to eat.

Bat Night in 1977 with 47K people. Walked home with a legit full sized Red Coca Cola bat. Can you imagine giving full size bats to attendees? 

We made it a tradition to go to the 2nd game of the year. In 1980 I got to see 2 grand slams in the same inning of an 18-1 win.  At church camp huddled around a fire listening to Rollie close it out for the first playoff appearance ever. For whatever reason I decided to start collecting and "scrapbooking" every boxscore in 1982. Absolutely dying one game away from winning it all to getting blown out in game 6 and then immediately giving up 3 runs after taking a 3-1 lead in the 6th inning of game 7. Hearing the entire neighborhood EXPLODE on Easter of 1987. Thinking 1992 was the turning point - and then finding out it was, just not the direction I hoped for. The sheer unexpectedly joy of 2008, Braun hitting that HR vs the Cubs. Regretting 2011 thinking that was the year. Freaking Roenicke. And then never not being amazed at 2018 - today.  

And all of it with my dad. All of it. No matter how far I've lived from him. We lived and died and celebrated and complained about the Brewers. We are huge Packer fans, but we've always had a certain unspoken bond that we'd give up all the Packers success for one World Series title. 

And I don't mean to drag anything in this thread, but just making the World Series is not enough. I need to see this team win it all. I don't want 44 years of celebrating just making it. Again, I cannot express how insane it would be to explain to my 7 year old self or my 22 year old self that we make the playoffs regularly! This isn't some declaration about "my fandom".  I am just being honest, this will destroy me if we don't win it all. I don't know how many years I have left with my dad - hell I don't know how many days I have left. IT IS TIME. 
 

[Jim French Stepstool]

2 hours ago, Strike4 said:

For me it means after forty-four years I will be able to sit one last time with my ailing father to watch the Brewers in the World Series.  

 

Only this time I will be joined by my son and new grandson.  

 

Four generations will be together in one spot watching together.  It really is the answer to a prayer.

 

 

 

I believe all prayers are answered. But sometimes the answer is no, and sometimes they're answered in ways we didn't expect. Yours is going to result in one beautiful experience. Savor every second.

[markedman5]

It will destroy everyone if they don’t win it ….most of all the players who have put everything into it…….but as Wild Bill said it’s either your time or it’s not…….we will find out starting tomorrow if it’s our time……..I certainly hope so because I’m running out of time too.

2 excellent teams……only one can win……very proud of this team and I will love them no matter the result.

[craigharmann]

Y'all. Man. This is so awesome. It was my hope in asking the question to get a few nostalgic answers somewhat like mine. This has been even better. I can't wait to see the emotions when we win it all. This has been one of the best threads on Brewerfan(atic) that I've been a part of. Thank you. Tomorrow night cannot come soon enough!

[RobertCrawley]

[brewers4eric]

I saw my first live game at County Stadium in 1978.  My Dad was a dairy farmer so we never took family vacations.  But that year, he signed the two of us up for a Coop sponsored bus trip to Milwaukee.  We rode a motor coach for four hours to the stadium.  The smell of the burning coal from the tailgates hit me as soon as I got off the bus and I'll always remember the crowds in the parking lot.  Mike Caldwell was on the mound.  Paul Molitor was the rookie that ran wild on the bases and Robin Yount was a light hitting shortstop at the bottom of the lineup.  Don Money was the favorite of the lady sitting in front of me with her grandkids.  The Brewers won 2-1 and I was hooked.  

For years I poured over the box scores in the newspaper until the ink rubbed off on my elbows. The radio broadcasts were a fixture in the barn each night but it was rare to see a tv broadcast of a Brewers game in northeast Iowa.  The strike in 1981 just about ruined baseball for me but the Brewers made the playoffs.  Game 162 of the 1982 season was epic, as well as the comeback against the Angels to take the ALCS.  But I was emotionally spent when the World Series ended.

For decades, I had serious doubts that I would ever see the Brewers in another World Series in my lifetime.  Seeking the support of other fans, I joined the discussion on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel site until someone suggested trading our top prospect, Prince Fielder, for a collection of role players headlined by Shea Hillenbrand.  But the discussion on the MJS site led me to a link about Wes Helms on Brewerfan.  I rarely post, but the minor league forum is my favorite source of information on our prospects.  This site has made me a more informed, and better fan of the Brewers.

I'm thankful to have seen allot of Brewer playoff games since 2008, but some of the losses have just about done me in.  I describe my feeling after the Pete Alonso home run as "getting my heart ripped out of my chest while simultaneously getting kicked in the nuts".  I still live in northeast Iowa and try to make an annual trip to Milwaukee for a tailgate with my wife and the kids.  On my birthday last December, my daughter posted a picture of one of our past tailgate trips on Facebook and asked all of the viewers to "manifest a Brewers World Series".  I'm not sure what manifesting entails, but the Brewers are in the World Series and I've been strangely calm throughout the entire playoffs.

Go Brewers.     

   

[Playing Catch]

I love baseball in all of its facets, and it serves as a constant reference point for many of my most cherished relationships. This World Series --- this team --- serves as the apotheosis of that shared love for the sport, and the shared joy that accompanies winning.

So much fun. So much anticipation.

[thammondwis]

On one hand I never thought we could beat the Dodgers with that rotation.  So, it kind of feels like we are playing with house money and anything beyond that is a bonus.

On the other hand, it almost seems like this is a destiny team to have done what they have done so far.  And a destiny team doesn't just come close...it finishes the deal. 

[Underachiever]

I am old enough to pre-date the Brewers in Milwaukee. I was a Cubs fan in 1969, and remember Jack Brickhouse calling games on tv. But when the Brewers came to Milwaukee, I transfered my allegiance. I have older brothers who could remember the Braves, but I didn't. So we were all-in on the Brewers. I believed that a team with Gene Brabender as an ace would be a winning team. I got a full-sized Phil Roof bat as a giveaway at a game. I was at the doubleheader sweep (https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIL/MIL197307292.shtml) of the Yankees when George Scott hit a grand slam in the 7th. The team was so exciting in the late 70s. 1982 I was in college and I thought after the game 1 rout that they were gonna do it. 

I lived in a lot of places in my life before settling back in Wisconsin. I drove to Anaheim from LA to see the return of Gorman Thomas to the team in 86. I saw them play the Yankees in NY. I have always been a Brewer fan. I was living in Cincinnati when the Reds won it in 1990 and it was so cool. I want to experience that again as a Brewer fan. I was able to score a ticket to tonight and game 2. My wife asked me why I would go sit with people I don't even know. I told her that we would all be best friends by the end of the game. I'd love to take family or friends, but funds are not unlimited. 

So, if you happen to be sitting next to me at the game, here's fair warning: I'm a hugger.

I could go on forever, but I'm going to get on the road.

Go Brewers!