‘Fingers are crossed’: Brewers superfan hasn’t missed a home game for 40+ years
CBS 58 MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- As the Milwaukee Brewers move closer to a possible World Series appearance, Bob Koehler is hoping the team can take him back to a place he hasn’t been since 1982.
Koehler hasn’t missed a Brewers home game since 1981. For more than four decades, he has made the 10-minute walk from his home to the ballpark to watch the team he has followed for years.
“That’s the only reason I bought the house in the neighborhood, was to walk to and from the games,” Koehler said.
Keeping that streak alive has meant making sacrifices along the way.
“I’ve missed tons of weddings and funerals,” Koehler said.
His dedication extends beyond the ballpark. Koehler has filled his home with Brewers items, including signed baseballs, bobbleheads, an original County Stadium seat, and tickets he has saved over the years.
Among those tickets is one from the 1982 World Series, when Koehler was 25.
“That’s the '82 World Series ticket, $25 a piece,” he said.
More than four decades later, Koehler is hoping to see the Brewers return to the World Series. He remembers what it was like to watch them compete for the title in 1982, and he hopes this season will give him another chance.
“I remember sitting there being, ‘Boy, I’m 25 and already sitting at the World Series,’ and now I’m 69 and I haven’t been back to one since, but this year fingers are crossed,” Koehler said.
The Brewers’ performance this season has given him more reason to believe they can make that run.
“I’m so pumped up now with this because I’ve never seen them win 103 games and they’ve never had a 2-0 lead in any series,” Koehler said.
For Koehler, going to games is about more than keeping his streak intact. It gives him something to look forward to and a chance to focus on the team he loves.
“The main goal is to win the World Series, but it is fun to be there, and it gets your mind off of any problems you have, it’s something to look forward to,” Koehler said.
After more than 40 years of showing up for the Brewers, Koehler is ready to keep cheering them on, hoping this is the season he finally gets to see them back on the World Series stage.
