Milwaukee Brewers

Miller Park

likely Tuesday, July 2, 2002

Thursday, September 11, 2003

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Monday, August 8, 2016

I’ve now been to Miller Park a few times. First in early July 2002 (with the season one ElimiDATE crew – Bruce, Kristen, Jeff, and Colby) and then again on September 11 of 2003 (with Kim & Kate – against the Astros), August 22, 2012 (with Carlos Carmona – against the Cubs winning 6-5 in a dramatic comeback victory), and with the UFC Countdown crew of John Deleon and Marco Mejia on August 8, 2016 against the Braves (Brewers winning 7-5).

Miller Park was one of the first new “retro” baseball parks I had been too. Opening for the 2001 season, it replaced Milwaukee County Stadium, which I never had the chance to see. I believe the new stadium is adjacent to where the old one was. I will say the location isn’t quite as interesting as some other ballparks as it is in the suburbs, about 10 miles away from downtown.

However, it pretty much blew me away architecturally. Apparently the ballpark is the first retractable fan-shaped roof, and certainly one of it’s key features. It has 7 panels, and opens in about 10 minutes. When I was there, I was lucky enough to see it opened. They played the 2001 theme song as it opened. Pretty fun and darn cool. It is a massive engineering feat. And I’m not sure if the engineers meant to do this, but if you stand at the front of the park, the roof looks like a giant “M.”

The park is also makes a nice impression as a “retro” park. It has a nice mix of steel and brick arches. Green seats, and much of the steel is painted green. Real grass is in the infield and outfield. And although modern, it seems to fit this blue-collar beer-drinking town.

Parking is pretty easy all around the park, like many of the cement block multi-purpose stadiums before it. Approaching the stadium from the more expensive parking area, you can see Helfaer Field, which is like a mini ballpark. It’s a well-kept “youth” field you can rent out, but almost looks like a minor league stadium. If you approach from the general admission parking area, you will see the Sausage Haus… Didn’t go there, but I imagine they sell some wieners. Very cool.

I definitely had to have a few Millers while at the game. It is Miller park, for goodness sake! And the a brat went quite well with that… This is Milwaukee! In 2012 I tried the Italian sausage. The lady at the counter said, “Would you like it dipped?” “Uh…. Of course!,” I said enthusiastically, not sure what she meant. The sausage griller then proceeded to dip my sausage in a ketchup/bbq sauce mix and then add grilled onions on top. Pretty tasty!

The most famous thing about Miller Park (and old Milwaukee County Stadium) is the Sausage Races in the bottom of the 6th inning. It’s amazing how you can get behind your favorite wiener. So basically they start four guys dressed head to toe in very tall and oversized foam sausage outfits in right field. Hot Dog vs. Bratwurst vs. Italian vs. Polish. (And they have since added a Chorizo! – who I rooted for in 2012 – and won!). Anyway, they run like crazy toward home plate, and the crowd goes nuts. Although this has only been a tradition since the early 1990’s, I’m sure it will continue indefinitely as it is so much fun.

My second visit to Miller Park was a September 11 exactly two years after the horrific events of 9/11/01. It was a weekday daytime (not night) game. I think the actual attendance was around 12,000 (and the park holds around 41,000. Anyway, to encourage people to go to a large public venue two years after 9/11, the day was dubbed “Senior Citizens Day.” And any senior citizen was allowed to walk the field. This was an opportunity not to be missed.

Kim, Kate, & I ponied up to a senior citizen under the guise of helping them walk the field. Basically we ponied up next to a grandma, and basically scammed our way on the field. And we got to walk the whole thing! So much fun, and it was the first time I’d actually been on a MLB field.

**Original date of attendance may be off by a day or two — It was in early July of 2002 right before the All-Star Game which took place on July 9, 2002. I don’t have the original ticket from this visit.