OKAUCHEE, Wis. — The Brewers’ World Series run is written across one lawn in Okauchee, but the story behind the paint goes back generations.
What started as a simple baseball painted on the grass grew throughout the Brewers’ postseason run, eventually becoming a celebration of the team, its victories and the longtime friendship shared by three families.
“We have been fans since our parents were fans,” Greg Wong said.
The families’ connection began with their parents, who met while attending Marquette University. Their friendship continued after college and grew as each family did.
“All the families just became a very tight-knit group,” Peter Roedel said.
Their parents cheered for the Milwaukee Braves. When the Brewers came along, the families' love for Milwaukee baseball continued.
“Tailgate parties together, games together, it has been going on,” Roedel said.
Bringing Am Fam Field to Okauchee
When the Brewers made their World Series run, the group found a new way to celebrate together.
They couldn't all get to American Family Field, so they decided to bring a little bit of the ballpark to Okauchee.
“This is our Brewer, Am Fam Field in Okauchee, Wisconsin,” Wong said. “We couldn’t get tickets to Am Fam, so we brought Am Fam to Okauchee.”
The lawn display didn't start out nearly as elaborate.
“It started with just a simple baseball,” Wong said. “And then it evolved into the World Series.”
As the Brewers kept winning, the friends kept painting.
“We added the W for wins,” Wong said.
But the group didn't want the mural to be the work of just one person. Friends took turns with the spray can, each adding a piece to the growing display.
For Wong, that made the mural particularly fitting. The Brewers team they were cheering for reminded him of the families gathered together in Okauchee.
“It’s our family. They showed a family to us,” Wong said. “That reflected us very well.”
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A tradition passed down
For these families, the championship is about more than baseball.
It's another chapter in a friendship that started with their parents, was passed down to their children and grew alongside their shared love of Milwaukee baseball.
Now, they have one more championship memory they created together, this time painted right across the lawn.
And the celebration isn't finished.
The group says they'll be together again Friday for the championship parade.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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