The Brewers are still World Series champions. As the city welcomes the team back for a championship parade, longtime fans get to bask in long-delayed glory.
But this remarkable run is also making new fans out of people who weren’t previously interested in baseball. As ESPN Milwaukee host Gabe Neitzel tells Lake Effect’s Sam Woods, this moment reminds us to lean into inclusivity and fun.
This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Lake Effect's Sam Woods: Was there a moment that you'll always remember from this series?
Gabe Neitzel: So my parents got married during game four in 1982. And so being able to take them to a World Series game and just watch them enjoy it and then have that game unfold the way that it did. Just having that experience with them is something I'm never going to forget.
And in terms of in-game moments, like from that game specifically, obviously the Sal home run is always going to be something just because I don't know if anybody really thought it was going to get out until it disappeared over the wall, including Sal himself. But there's just so many little moments, like them getting two runs right away after giving up four. Getting two runs, right back, and letting the Rays know, hey, we're not going anywhere. Just little things that the Brewers do that, to me, exemplify what this team is all about.
Big-time games like those in the World Series tend to attract new fans who weren't interested in the sport before. How do you how to you story tell in a way that gives those you know those hardcore fans and those fairweather fans, like something to chew on at the same time. Like what unites those two groups to you?
I think it's about using detail in describing some of the different things that happened and okay, why did this happen? Why did the Brewers do this? Why was this a good idea? Why? Because there were so many people, I think after game four, why didn't Miz throw in that game? I can't believe they should have thrown it all through the 12th inning. Well, if they did that and it blew up, then you don't get last night and Miz isn't ready and Miz can't throw and pitch as effectively as he did. In game number five to ultimately give the Brewers the championship.
So I think it's it's just having those conversations because we want to be an inclusive. I think sports needs to be more inclusive, like in terms of just welcoming all fans in instead of being like, 'I suffered through the 90s' and all that - man who cares just enjoy this run with your community. And that's what I'm talking about, being inclusive, like just welcome all the doors and let sports being this unifying thing that it can be because...the power of this team, man.
Yeah, I was gonna say in the spirit of inclusion, what would you say to those new fans of baseball? But it sounds like it's some version of find the thing about the sport that's fun to you and just lean into that.
Yeah absolutely. I love being at a game because it gives me that much more information. I love seeing, okay, where's the second baseman playing? Where's the center fielder playing? How are they trying to best defend this player? Pitch sequencing. I'm trying to think along with the hitter, right? And again, that is diving deep into it. That doesn't have to be your thing.
If you just like going because it seems like a good time and the racing sausages, you know, when they come out in the sixth inning, that's fun, and Bernie sliding. If that's what you like, then that's what you're like. I'm not here to tell you that you should like more about the game. If that what you like about baseball, we can still sit together and have a cold beverage and enjoy the game together.
