MILWAUKEE – Tens of thousands of exuberant Brewers fans flooded the streets, watched from parking garages and cheered from office building windows in downtown Milwaukee on Friday to celebrate the franchise's first World Series title.
The small-market Brewers gave their long-suffering fans the championship they had been waiting for with a 4-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, clinching the Series in five games. It was their first time playing in the Fall Classic in 44 years.
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“Unbelievable,” said parade attendee Mark Diedrich, a 76-year-old who has been an on-and-off partial season ticket holder since the 1980s. “You just never thought it would happen. But it did.”
Players on buses chugged cans of Miller Lite beer, walked the parade route high-fiving fans and hoisted the Commissioner's Trophy as the cheers echoed through the streets. Every level of the Brewers franchise was represented in the parade, from owner Mark Attanasio to manager Pat Murphy, grounds crew members and behind-the-scenes staff.
The Johnsonville sausages, fan favorites that race during every home game, were also walking the parade route.
Brewers players, coaches and staffers waved to fans from the top of buses, some of them bearing the message, “Won. Our Way,” to update their postseason slogan of “Win Our Way.” Several players, such as outfielder Sal Frelick and second baseman Brice Turang, removed their shirts in a nod to this seasons’ MLB-wide “Tarps Off” craze as they exhorted the crowd.
Players took turns holding the Commissioner’s Trophy aloft, with many of them getting off their buses and greeting fans.
Hall of Famers Rollie Fingers, Robin Yount, Paul Molitor and other members of the 1982 Brewers team that made Milwaukee's last World Series appearance, also rode along the parade route. Current and former players posed for pictures, signed autographs and reveled in the moment.
Members of the 1982 team had traveled a similar route in the parade that year after losing the World Series in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals. Many fans at Friday's parade weren't even born the last time Milwaukee celebrated the Brewers.
Milwaukee Public Schools canceled classes on Friday, allowing fans to enjoy the parade that ran past a mural of beloved Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker and was to conclude with a fan fest at Henry Maier Festival Park, not far from the shores of Lake Michigan.
Milwaukee city officials were expecting about 400,000 people to attend the parade and celebration.
Kasey Diedrich, a son of Mark Diedrich, said he attended his first Brewers game as a 4-year-old in 1983, the year after that World Series appearance. Little did he know at the time how long he would have to wait for the Brewers to make it back.
“I don’t think we still think it happened," Diedrich said. “It seems like a dream.”
Mark Diedrich said he owns the seats from the old Milwaukee County Stadium where he and one of his sons were sitting when Hall of Famer Yount got his 3,000th hit in 1992.
“We could tell you stories for days of all the games we went to,” Mark Diedrich said. “I remember going to opening day with these guys and there was ice on the steps of County Stadium. We’re sitting down to get ready for the game and a guy’s spreading salt to melt the ice on the steps.”
The Diedriches were one of many families who had multiple generations representing them at the parade.
Craig Muehl, a 42-year-old from the Milwaukee suburb of Brookfield, said he inherited his Brewers fandom from his father. Muehl woke up early to attend the parade with his young son and daughter.
“It all started, just like many families around here, sitting outside in the summer and fall,” Muehl said. “My dad had the Brewers game on the radio everywhere we went. Some families have music on the radio. We had the Brewers games all summer long.
The celebration actually started well before Friday.
Several Brewers, including team captain Christian Yelich and Cy Young Award favorite Jacob Misiorowski, went to Lambeau Field for Thursday night's Green Bay Packers game. They received a huge ovation, especially when pitcher Brandon Woodruff emerged from the tunnel in the second quarter holding the Commissioner's Trophy.
A few players attempted a “Lambeau leap” into the crowd, with Frelick having the most success. Those Brewers players later were shown on the video board cheering as they wore cheeseheads that included the message, “2026 WS Champions.”
A large police presence was on hand for the parade to handle the big crowds and heavy traffic.
The franchise originated as the Seattle Pilots in 1969 before moving to Milwaukee and becoming the Brewers the following year.
Milwaukee has celebrated a World Series title once before. The Milwaukee Braves won the 1957 World Series over the New York Yankees before moving to Atlanta in 1966.
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Scott Bauer contributed to this story.
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