Milwaukee Brewers Postseason Prep Rally with Robin Yount and Donald Driver

Baseball requires dedication and determination. The same goes for being a fan.

Sandy Solo, who was “too excited to go to sleep,” woke up at 2 a.m. Friday and arrived at American Family Field at 3:50 a.m. Dressed in her Milwaukee Brewers best, she was first in line for the team's drive-through “Postseason Prep Rally.”

“It’s an exciting time to be a fan,” said Solo, a Wauwatosa resident.

The Crew clinched the National League Central Division title earlier this week. At Friday's rally, which lasted from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., fans received Johnsonville bratwurst – the breakfast of champions -, car flags and a QR code to purchase postseason tickets before they were released to the general public at 10 a.m.

Handing out the items were the Avengers of Wisconsin sports, including Brewers manager Pat Murphy, Brewers icon Robin Yount, Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame member Donald Driver, Milwaukee Bucks legend Sidney Moncrief, former University of Wisconsin basketball star Brian Butch, former NFL player and UW star Tarek Saleh, and Wisconsin women's hockey standout Casey O'Brien.

“It's about giving back,” Driver told the Journal Sentinel. “The fans give us so much, and they give us so much every year… And when you do that while you know you're at the top, it shows your love and support for the fans. The fans will continue to support you if you continue to support them.”

All morning, Driver energetically snapped car selfies with fans, positioned himself at the windows to chat with them and pet cute puppies that stuck their heads out.

After devouring a bratwurst and chatting with drivers at the front of the line, Yount hopped on a golf cart and surprised fans waiting further back with rolled up Brewers rally towels.

“Here you go, buddy,” Yount said, throwing a towel through an open car window. “Oh my God!” the driver said, shocked. “Heyyyyy!”

“I'm as excited as anyone,” Yount said. “We're looking forward to the playoffs and that's why we're here. Of course the fans are excited too. That's why they're all here.”

Yount was a joker and told people that the towels were napkins for the brats they were about to be served. Or to wipe down their windshields that were still wet from the night's rain.

When a woman made an impressive towel catch from her driver's window, Yount said to her, “Tonight you're playing shortstop for us.”

In addition to the numerous stars, many other familiar faces made the atmosphere even more electric, including Brewers mascots Bernie, Famous Racing Sausages, the Barrelman, the entertainment troupe 4-1-Force! and Roscoe from the Milwaukee Admirals.

Remember Solo, who was first in line? After getting her Brewers treats, she stuck around with a handful of other fans and was spotted dancing to the sounds of DJ Stretch with a big grin on her face at around 8:20 a.m.

“We already have the best fans in the world, but when you do something like this, it shows even more and brings everyone together,” said Brewers fan Josh Stanelle of West Bend. “It's like a family.”

As the sun rose, several unique vehicles marched through the line—a gold Chevrolet SSR, Slingshots, bicycles, including one whose rider wore a Brewers cycling jersey. But the most tricked-out vehicle was undoubtedly Stanelle's.

It has a yellow mustache on the grille, a big helmet on top, a bat handle and stickers. For tailgating, he hangs a flagpole with not one, not two, not three, but four flags. And that's just the outside. Inside, there's a Brewers table with cup holders, a cooler, dozens of pins hanging from Brewers curtains and Brewers seat covers.

Stanelle bought the van around 2007, he said, and added new ones every year. Stanelle said it's a 1983 Chevy Brewer Limited from the 1982 season – the last season the Brewers made it to the World Series.

Kari Zalewski, second in line, reminisced about the 1982 Brewers World Series and said she was looking forward to “doing it again.”

“I think they have a good chance,” she said. “They have a lot of young people, a lot of energy, they are definitely a great team and I'm looking forward to supporting them.”

Milwaukee Brewers Postseason Prep Rally with Robin Yount and Donald Driver

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