MILWAUKEE, Wis. — For Jerry Mittelsteadt, the Brewers' World Series victory was more than a championship. It was the perfect ending to a 31-year career.
The 84-year-old has spent decades welcoming fans, helping make their ballpark experience memorable, and watching the Brewers evolve. And after years of being part of the team’s story, he got to witness a moment he never thought he would see.
"I'm living a dream. I mean, really living a dream," Mittelsteadt said.
Mittelsteadt started as a Brewers usher in 1996, starting at County Stadium before watching a new ballpark take shape. Along the way, he was promoted to a supervisor position, and he's collected countless memories.
“I could tell you stories for hours,” he said.
But for Mittelsteadt, the job has always been about more than baseball. It's been about the fans, the connections and the people who have become part of his life.
"I could work a few more years. But like I say, I want to be able to bring my wife here because you know she's endured this for 31 years,” he joked.
Earlier this year, Mittelsteadt decided it would be his final season. He knew he was walking away from a career filled with memories, but he didn't know he'd get one more unforgettable moment.
"It's cherry on top is a good way to think of it because last year I thought maybe we were going to make it, but then we got beat by the Dodgers, and then I thought this year. Well, this is probably going to be my last chance, and it was," he said.
The championship gave him one more reason to be proud of the team he's supported for more than three decades.
"Can't be more proud of anything than of just the fact that they did what they did, and the way they did it," he said.
And his message to the players and fans reflects just how much the game means to him.
"Well, to the Brewers. Well, to the to the fans and the players, It's it's a love affair. I mean, it really is. And again, it's all. But it's part of your life, you know. And it's it's great. It's a great game," he said.
Now, Mittelsteadt is looking forward to a new role: enjoying Brewers games from the stands alongside his wife.
After 31 years of helping others make memories at the ballpark, he's walking away knowing he's been a part of history in the making.
"Wouldn't have it any other way," he said.
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