MONROE - Jon Ammon of Monroe was a freshman at Holy Name Seminary in Madison the last time the Milwaukee Brewers played in a World Series.
The year was 1982, and Ammon recalls cheering the Brewers on while watching the game on television in the commons area.
The Brewers won the AL East but lost the World Series in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals.
A few things have changed since that Series almost three decades ago: Holy Name Seminary has since closed and the Brewers are now in the NL Central.
But one thing is just as it was back in the 1980s: Brewers fever is sweeping the state.
Ammon, 43, along with his brother and several friends, is going to Game 1 of the NL Division Series between the Brewers and Arizona Diamondbacks Saturday.
With the University of Wisconsin Badgers taking on the Nebraska Cornhuskers at home Saturday, and the Green Bay Packers hosting the Denver Broncos on Sunday, it's a trifecta of Wisconsin sports this weekend. Ammon was hoping to make all three games.
"We were going to make it a Wisconsin sports weekend odyssey and go to the Brewers game, the Badgers and Packers games, but Nebraska fans drove up the cost of the Badger tickets," Ammon said.
Instead, Ammon and his brother will go to the Brewers-Diamondbacks game Saturday and then to the Packers-Broncos game Sunday.
And he has high hopes for Milwaukee.
"I think they (the Brewers) have recaptured that magic from 1982," Ammon said citing the fact that the Brewers set an attendance record with more than 3 million fans and the regular season finale he attended Wednesday at Miller Park was a sellout.
"I hope they win it in four and we can revive 1982 and play the Cardinals in the NL Championship series," he said.
Lance Ray, Monroe, was still debating Thursday whether to take the plunge and pay the $200 to $1,500 on StubHub.com to see the Badgers play Nebraska in the Cornhuskers Big Ten debut or go to the Brewers' Game 1 playoff game. Ray attended Game 1 of the last Brewers' postseason series in 2008 against the Phillies, who went on to win the World Series.
"It's a toss-up," Ray said. "It's closer to go to Madison, but how many times do the Brewers make the playoffs? It's once in a lifetime.
"I said that in 2008 and here we go again."
The Brewers roll into the playoffs with their first division title in 29 years, the most wins in the franchise's history (96), and the best home field mark in the major leagues at 57-24.
For Ray, the Brewers' winning foundation was set in the offseason when they were able to swing trades with Kansas City for Zack Greinke and Toronto for Shaun Marcum.
"When they acquired Zack Greinke from the Royals, they put their chips all in," Ray said. "With Prince Fielder's expiring contract, this was the year to do something. The expectation from spring training was they were all-in and it was all or nothing."
The Brewers have a potent lineup with two viable MVP candidates in Ryan Braun and Fielder. Will Brewers fans be satisfied if they don't knock off the Diamondbacks and fail to reach the NLCS with a chance to play themselves into a World Series?
"If they can win the first round, I think they can beat the Phillies," Ammon said. "The Phillies don't have a great lineup. They have a murder's row of pitchers. It's probably the best rotation ever. It will come down to whether their unsung heroes like Nyjer Morgan and Corey Hart can assist them and generate some runs."
Ammon recalled the franchise's history when in 1969 the team played one year as the Seattle Pilots.
And as much as he said he understands that Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig is a target for criticism by many baseball fans, he won't forget that Selig acquired the team in bankruptcy court and moved them to Milwaukee.
"Winning isn't everything," Ammon said. "It feels really good to have a team with good ownership that has been competitive."
The year was 1982, and Ammon recalls cheering the Brewers on while watching the game on television in the commons area.
The Brewers won the AL East but lost the World Series in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals.
A few things have changed since that Series almost three decades ago: Holy Name Seminary has since closed and the Brewers are now in the NL Central.
But one thing is just as it was back in the 1980s: Brewers fever is sweeping the state.
Ammon, 43, along with his brother and several friends, is going to Game 1 of the NL Division Series between the Brewers and Arizona Diamondbacks Saturday.
With the University of Wisconsin Badgers taking on the Nebraska Cornhuskers at home Saturday, and the Green Bay Packers hosting the Denver Broncos on Sunday, it's a trifecta of Wisconsin sports this weekend. Ammon was hoping to make all three games.
"We were going to make it a Wisconsin sports weekend odyssey and go to the Brewers game, the Badgers and Packers games, but Nebraska fans drove up the cost of the Badger tickets," Ammon said.
Instead, Ammon and his brother will go to the Brewers-Diamondbacks game Saturday and then to the Packers-Broncos game Sunday.
And he has high hopes for Milwaukee.
"I think they (the Brewers) have recaptured that magic from 1982," Ammon said citing the fact that the Brewers set an attendance record with more than 3 million fans and the regular season finale he attended Wednesday at Miller Park was a sellout.
"I hope they win it in four and we can revive 1982 and play the Cardinals in the NL Championship series," he said.
Lance Ray, Monroe, was still debating Thursday whether to take the plunge and pay the $200 to $1,500 on StubHub.com to see the Badgers play Nebraska in the Cornhuskers Big Ten debut or go to the Brewers' Game 1 playoff game. Ray attended Game 1 of the last Brewers' postseason series in 2008 against the Phillies, who went on to win the World Series.
"It's a toss-up," Ray said. "It's closer to go to Madison, but how many times do the Brewers make the playoffs? It's once in a lifetime.
"I said that in 2008 and here we go again."
The Brewers roll into the playoffs with their first division title in 29 years, the most wins in the franchise's history (96), and the best home field mark in the major leagues at 57-24.
For Ray, the Brewers' winning foundation was set in the offseason when they were able to swing trades with Kansas City for Zack Greinke and Toronto for Shaun Marcum.
"When they acquired Zack Greinke from the Royals, they put their chips all in," Ray said. "With Prince Fielder's expiring contract, this was the year to do something. The expectation from spring training was they were all-in and it was all or nothing."
The Brewers have a potent lineup with two viable MVP candidates in Ryan Braun and Fielder. Will Brewers fans be satisfied if they don't knock off the Diamondbacks and fail to reach the NLCS with a chance to play themselves into a World Series?
"If they can win the first round, I think they can beat the Phillies," Ammon said. "The Phillies don't have a great lineup. They have a murder's row of pitchers. It's probably the best rotation ever. It will come down to whether their unsung heroes like Nyjer Morgan and Corey Hart can assist them and generate some runs."
Ammon recalled the franchise's history when in 1969 the team played one year as the Seattle Pilots.
And as much as he said he understands that Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig is a target for criticism by many baseball fans, he won't forget that Selig acquired the team in bankruptcy court and moved them to Milwaukee.
"Winning isn't everything," Ammon said. "It feels really good to have a team with good ownership that has been competitive."