OMC: You probably get this a lot: how can you go to so many games?

MS: I usually get asked how can you afford to go to so many games and how can you get off work to do it? Well, I take vacation for the day games, and the night games aren't a problem because I won't have a meeting at night on the days that the Brewers are in town. We save every year to buy these tickets, and frankly if the prices keep going up, we'll have to move back. Or, we could sell some ad space to help us with the cost!

OMC: How long have you been a Brewers fan?

MS: I've been a Brewers fan since the first time my dad took me to a Brewers game, which was in 1973 when the Brewers played the A's.

The A's uniforms were the most striking thing I remember about that day, and so from then on, while I liked the Brewers, I really liked the A's. Of course, since the A's were winning, it was pretty easy.

The Brewers were not very good in the early '70s, but Hank Aaron coming to Milwaukee in 1975 was something special. I remember going to the park for all fan giveaways like Bat Day. I wish I wouldn't have used that bat in Little League!

As the A's started to decline, the Brewers started to play well it was easy to move back and forth as a fan. Of course, the 1978 season was something else for Brewers fans because we were no longer the doormat of the league. Bambi's Bombers were just fantastic.

OMC: Was Stephanie a Brewers fan when you met, or did you convert her into one?

MS: When I first met Stephanie, she was a huge White Sox fan that had given up on baseball because of the 1994 strike. Getting her to Miller Park was a big deal, in fact she swore she would never set foot in the park.

Well, the White Sox were playing the Brewers in July 2001, and I had tickets, so we sat at the game. It was July 15, 2001, it was a beautiful sunny Sunday, and as she sat there in the park, eating peanuts and drinking beer she said the words that I'll never forget: "You know there really is nothing better than sitting at a ball game, eating peanuts and drinking a beer." Yeah that was pretty much it for me.

With as many games as I went to, she started to become a Brewers fan, and, frankly, I thank Bud Selig for moving the Brewers to the National League, because had they stayed in the American League, I'm not sure it would have worked out!

We both share an extreme dislike for the Cubs, so that makes baseball even better.

OMC: What's your favorite part of being so close? What do you get to see in those seats that others miss?

MS: The thing I love the most is the interaction that you see between coaches, managers, umpires and players. You get to see the facial expressions on some players when they strike out or when they curse themselves or the umpires on their way back to the dugout.

You can also at times hear what a manager is screaming at an umpire or get an insight into some stupid play that a player did in the field and the reaction of the manager.

That happened (recently) when (Cincinnati outfielder) Jay Bruce threw to second to try to get CC Sabathia instead of throwing it home to get Craig Counsell. (Reds manager) Dusty Baker screamed, "What the hell is he doing out there?"

Of course, since (third base coach at the time) Dale Sveum stopped Counsell from scoring, it was a moot point but that was pretty cool. I also get the reaction and discussion with the umpires from where they come on and off the field. I've developed a lot of great friendships with those guys, and it adds another factor to the seats.

OMC: What's it like being recognized around town? Do you have any funny stories from that?

MS: It is pretty crazy. It happens, frankly, on a daily basis, I usually get a question "Do you go to a lot of Brewers games?" It is strange, because when I had those seats for the first three years, not many people would even notice that I was at the game. The Brewers were so bad that no one was watching the games.

Now, I've met people from Denver, L.A., Nebraska and New York who watch Brewers games, and when they get to Miller Park, they'll come down and say hello and tell me and Stephanie how much they enjoy watching us on TV.

I usually get the comment that I'm the biggest Brewers fan, I always tell them I'm not, there are bigger die-hard fans out there, it is just that they're not on TV when the Brewers are playing.

I guess people can sometimes identify with me because I live and die on every pitch and every game.

As far as meeting people, the best story was when Stephanie and I were in Pittsburgh for the All-Star Game, we were at a MLB party, and a guy came up and said, "Do you live in Milwaukee, because I think I've seen you at Brewers games." When I told him I did, he said he was a huge fan and really enjoyed watching the broadcast with me in the picture. Then he introduced himself ... Jack Zduriencik (the Brewers scouting director)!

I nearly fell over, and told him, no, I was a HUGE fan of his and the work that he's done for the Brewers. I didn't recognize him because he had shaved his head since the last time I met him.

The funny thing is that the Brewers notice us as well, I've had Geoff Jenkins, Bill Hall and others mention that I'm a "hardcore" fan. When were in Denver for the Rockies game, I ran into Hall, who was with Prince Fielder. When I asked Prince if he liked the photos I gave him (they were of him sliding in by Matt Capps when they were playing the Pirates), he looked somewhat puzzled. Billy then said, "You don't recognize him do you?" Prince said no, and then Billy said "He's the guy that is the first to stand up whenever you hit a homer! " Then Prince started laughing and smiled and said he didn't recognize me since I wasn't wearing my hat!

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11 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by bman on Sept. 26, 2008 at 10:50 a.m. (report)

Seems like a pretty cool guy. No "look at me" attitude like a lot of marginal local celebrities

Posted by Shary on Sept. 25, 2008 at 11:48 a.m. (report)

HA. Great story. Hey Stephanie! Great pic of you two!

Posted by sandstorm on Sept. 25, 2008 at 9:05 a.m. (report)

great interview. always wondered what this guy's story was. cheers to a great fan!

Posted by LegallyBlonde on Sept. 24, 2008 at 3:43 p.m. (report)

Anyone else want to know more about the dude who stood up in their wedding? That sounds like a ridiculous story-to-be.

Posted by alba on Sept. 24, 2008 at 2:35 p.m. (report)

I can't believe that they've made good friends with players and managers just for sitting there that's quite impressive.