HALES CORNERS, Wis. — Milwaukee Brewers fan Bob Wilkes has held onto his tickets from Game 3 of the 1982 World Series for 44 years.
The tickets cost just $18 apiece, and he still has an "I was there" pin to go with them. For Wilkes, an important part of that night was getting to share it with his dad.
"He had never been to a World Series game in his life and I thought this would be really nice," Wilkes said.
The Brewers lost that game to the St. Louis Cardinals 6-2, but Wilkes still remembers the excitement inside Milwaukee County Stadium.
"Every pitch, every pitch everybody is glued to," Wilkes said. "In a regular game, you are having conversations, looking around, but in a World Series or playoff game, it's like every pitch is important and you are cheering all the time."
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He also remembers a different ballpark experience, from the stadium itself to the concessions.
"You didn't have all the fancy stuff, but you could get a beer for like 2 or 3 dollars," Wilkes said.
Wilkes paid $18 per ticket to attend the 1982 World Series. Adjusted for inflation, that's roughly $62 today. By comparison, most tickets for this year's World Series games cost thousands of dollars.
Wilkes said he won't be spending that much to attend another World Series.
"I'm not going to spend a couple thousand dollars. I just can't afford it," Wilkes said.
Instead, he plans to enjoy the games from home or possibly at a local bar with his wife.
"I can watch it on TV and I'll be fine. I think my wife and I might go to a bar," Wilkes said.
For Wilkes, who has been cheering on Milwaukee baseball teams since the Braves played at County Stadium, another World Series appearance has been a long time coming.
"It doesn't happen every year. Forty-four years is a long time to wait and I was so lucky to be able to go when I did and to take my dad. That's something you always dream of," Wilkes said.
Now as Milwaukee prepares for another shot at a championship, Wilkes hopes this year's team can bring home a title.
"We still had a parade in downtown Milwaukee. Thousands of people showed up and we were the runners up," Wilkes said, recalling 1982. "This town will go crazy if we are the World Series champions. It will be a moment to remember."
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