Quick Turnaround for Ballpark #3, Miller Park

After knocking off Target Field a little over a week ago, I’m back at it, headed to Miller Park for my third of 30, a Memorial Day showdown between the St. Louis Cardinals and NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers.

Watching the Cardinals make up some ground on their red-hot division rivals tops my to-do list, but that’s mostly out of my control, mostly … and a little outside the scope of this blog. What else am I looking forward to doing or seeing on my Milwaukee road trip? You’re about to find out, but first, here is a quick history lesson on the Brewers.

The history of baseball in Milwaukee is complicated. The city has been home to professional baseball as far back as the 1880s and has had multiple teams called the Brewers. Today’s Brewers are an expansion team that started as the Seattle Pilots (for one season) and moved to Milwaukee in 1970 as an American League team. They switched to the National League in 1998, and Miller Park opened in 2001.

One Miller Park moment that stands out to me is the 2002 All-Star Game that ended in a tie and led to the “this time it counts” campaign for more than the next decade’s worth of Midsummer Classics (as in, the winner of the game decided home-field advantage for the World Series from 2003 to 2016.)

Milwaukee To-Do List (not comprehensive and in no particular order)

1. Sausage race

This one is a given. What started as a goofy, animated race on the video board has transformed into … a goofy, live-action race in the ballpark. The bratwurst, Polish sausage and Italian sausage are the originals. The hot dog and chorizo were added later.

What’s not to love? It’s even had its own drama (when then-Pirate Randall Simon took out the Italian Sausage in 2003).

My gut tells me to choose the hot dog, mostly because, of the five, I only like hot dogs (and I tried to execute this terrible pun … get it?), but I’m waiting to see them in person before committing to my pick.

2. Retractable roof

I’ve never seen a retractable roof and want to see it in action. I’ve also never seen baseball played indoors (unless you count P.E. wiffle ball).

3. Brewers Walk of Fame

I want to see every team’s hall of fame (or equivalent). The Brewers don’t have a hall of fame. Instead, they have their Walk of Fame, so maybe it’ll feel like I’m in Hollywood.

4. Any mention of the 1982 World Series

Unlike my trip to Minnesota, which involved a team that has defeated the Cardinals in a World Series (1987), this trip takes me to Milwaukee to watch a team that has lost to the Cardinals in a World Series (1982). It’s the only World Series the Brewers have played in, so I’m guessing it will be featured somewhere in the stadium.

5. Cheese curds

It’s Dollar Dog Day at the ballpark, so I will eat a hot dog at some point, but I regret missing out on cheese curds at Target Field (and cheese curds are even more closely associated with Wisconsin than Minnesota), so I feel like cheese curds will be a good investment here.

6. Memorial Day celebrations

I’m excited to celebrate all those who have died protecting our freedom. Will there be a bald eagle? I hope so.

7. Jelly Belly Warehouse 

We’re stopping at the Jelly Belly Warehouse in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, on our way to Milwaukee. I’m at least equally as excited for this as I am the game. I LOVE jelly beans (as in, I’m addicted and obsessed), and I’m about to be surrounded by them. I’m hoping it’s Willy Wonka-esque in all the weirdest and sugariest ways.

We’ll also visit a few other places in Milwaukee, and I’ll write all about them on this blog.

Game Preview
Cardinals vs. Brewers
Miller Park
Monday, May 28, 2018
1:10 p.m. CT
Probable starting pitchers: STL Luke Weaver (RHP) vs. MIL Brent Suter (LHP)

Basically, all you need to know is the Cardinals (27-22 as I write this) are struggling, and the Brewers … not so much. As of now, they have the best record in the National League (33-20).

This is my first game in the Ballparking It era that will feature a Cardinals starting pitcher not named  Miles Mikolas, so I’m in uncharted territory in that respect. However, it also marks my second straight dollar hot dog day of the season, and the Cardinals are 1-0 when I pay exactly $1 for a hot dog.