Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Major League Baseball is special wherever you go, and it is true in Wisconsin, as the natives, the Home Crew Coalition, have a true-blue love of the Brewers.
American Family Field is an excellent stadium for hosting baseball. When we arrived, many people were holding tailgates before the game. We had the chance to see the Johnsonville Racing Brats and then come inside the stadium.
Although we were in the cheap seats on the 1st base side, the sight lines were good except when the ball went into foul territory in right field. At least when I stood up, I was able to see the 6th inning sausage race. Congratulations to the Chorizo!
Speaking of sausages, do yourself a favor and buy a bratwurst or two. Sauerkraut, Mustard, and “Secret Stadium Sauce” make for a delicious entree at the stadium. The first bratwurst I had was so tasty that I went back for a second. The bratwurst is one of the best ballpark-specific foods that I have encountered on my travels in and out of stadiums.
The game between the Reds and the Brewers was tight, as the Brewers and the Reds were fighting for the NL Central Division (only 1/2 a game separates the teams at the end of the 4-3 game). The stadium had quite a few empty seats on a summer Tuesday night (27,551 out of 41,900 were announced by the public address announcer), but props to Milwaukee for opening many of their concession stands and maintaining clean restrooms.
The most fantastic treat of the night was hearing Bob Uecker on the call, as he was always entertaining to listen to during a game. I know that for many people my age, we either knew Uecker as Harry Doyle in Major League, George Owens from Mr. Belvedere, or the funny guy from the Miller Light commercials. Regardless, I treasure the fact that I was able to hear part of his call for this game when I stepped out onto the concourse.
Overall, the Brewers provide a great baseball atmosphere, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching my first game in Milwaukee. When I’m in the area again, I hope to have a repeat trip to watch another game and eat another bratwurst with the Brew Crew.