Sheboygan County Fans Rally Behind Brewers as World Series Nears, Some Recalling 1982

Excitement over the Milwaukee Brewers is building across Sheboygan County, where fans are displaying their team spirit and looking back on the club's first World Series trip in 1982.

At the Sign Shop of Sheboygan, every employee cheers for the Brew Crew. Wearing team apparel did not feel like enough, though, so one worker suggested turning the shop's entire storefront window into a large tribute to the team.

"We kind of saw the World Series as an opportunity to use the window as a billboard," said Bailey Firgens, a graphic designer at the shop. The display has already drawn attention from people walking and driving by.

Will Greinke, a graphic installer at the shop, said he noticed passersby stopping in front of the window to take pictures. "I think it's going to brings the community together," he said.

For Greinke, the moment also stirs memories from more than 40 years ago. He went to a game during the Brewers' 1982 World Series run and still remembers meeting some of the players. He came away with autographs from Cecil Cooper and Gorman Thomas.

Thomas holds an even more personal place for another local resident. Michael Raffle, who owns Honeyhole Antiques and Collectibles in Sheboygan Falls, grew up playing Little League baseball in Sheboygan. Through a family connection, he came to know the former Brewers outfielder.

"After the game, Gorman and Vuckovich would come over and have dinner. So, I got to have dinner with them and have conversations and hear some amazing stories," Raffle said.

Decades later, the two crossed paths again, this time at a Sheboygan grocery store last year. Even after so many years, Thomas remembered Raffle's childhood nickname. "He goes, 'Mikey?'" Raffle said with a laugh. "We recognized each other, instantly, and had a nice conversion."

Raffle's shop is stocked with collectibles that include typewriters, cash registers and war memorabilia. One item stands out for him above the rest: a baseball signed by Thomas.

From longtime fans who lived through the 1982 season to younger supporters hoping to see Brewers history unfold for the first time, the team's followers in Sheboygan County are united by their love for the club.