MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- More than 40,000 people spent their Labor Day at American Family Field. The Milwaukee Brewers hosted the Chicago Cubs Monday, Sept. 7, to begin the teams' final regular season series.
Fans clad in both blue and gold and blue and red arrived well before the 1:10 first pitch to tailgate.
CBS 58 came across one family reunion where relatives from La Crosse, Prairie du Chien and Chicago all met for the game.
Others stepped up their tailgates to match the intensity of an I-94 series that could be an appetizer for a playoff rematch between the Brewers and Cubs.
Some fans took their tailgates to the next level, acknowledging they wanted to go the extra mile for a Brewers-Cubs tailgate.
"We're doing chicken shish kabobs today instead of brats, hot dogs and hamburgers," John Seyferth, of Racine, said. "We're stepping up because it's a Cubs-Brewers game."
Seyferth also poured a Bloody Mary for everyone at his tailgate, which included Kelly Zimmerman, her cousin Gail Lantz, and her partner, Jeff Miller - the lone Cubs fan in the group.
"He's almost perfect. There's a line right here," Lantz said of Miller before gesturing toward his Cubs shirt.
The I-94 series felt like a perfect occasion for Abbie and Angelo Decicco to make a special announcement. They informed relatives Abbie was pregnant, and the couple shared the news live on CBS 58.
"We told my family this weekend, so it was only fair when we have everyone together here at the Brewers game, to keep spreading the news," Abbie said. "We couldn't imagine a different way to do it."
There was plenty of friendly smack talk, as Zimmerman noted she would be adding another pin to commemorate a fourth straight Brewers division title if the team held onto its commanding eight-game lead over the Cubs.
If the season ended Monday, Chicago would play the Philadelphia Phillies in a three-game Wild Card series, with the winner coming to Milwaukee to meet the Brewers in the Division Series.
Most of the fans we heard from said they would welcome having the two teams meet in the playoffs for the second straight year.
"Yes, absolutely," Kara Ross, a Cubs fan from Racine, said. "'Cause I have faith the Cubs will win it."
Miller replied, "oh yeah" when asked if he hoped the teams meet again in October. Lantz saw it differently.
"I think we should leave them way far behind and let someone else take the honors," she said.
The teams will meet again Tuesday and Wednesday to round out their set of 13 head-to-head meetings during the regular season.