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Mardi Gras atmosphere at Miller Park Posted: Tuesday July 09, 2002 10:44 PMUpdated: Wednesday July 10, 2002 2:20 AM
MILWAUKEE (AP) -- The party at Miller Park started with Mardi Gras-like festivities as fans treated the All-Star Game as one last bash before the big fast as labor discord looms over baseball. But it ended with angered fans throwing trash on the field, upset the game was ended after 11 innings with the scored tied 7-7 because both teams were out of pitchers. "This is terrible. These guys are going on strike and they're doing this now?' said Tim Dugan of Chicago. "We've been ripped off." Spirits were high at the start of the night, as vendors sold beads, tailgaters cooked brats and a Nickelback concert entertained the masses outside the 2-year-old stadium. Once inside, they could get their picture taken with one of the infamous 10-foot racing sausages or head out to right field to try to snag batting practice balls from Seattle's Ichiro Suzuki. A pregame ceremony marking baseball's most memorable moments featured a fireworks show under a closed Miller Park roof and appearances by several all-time greats from Cal Ripken Jr. to Willie Mays, who embraced his godson Barry Bonds near first base. The loudest applause was reserved for former Milwaukee Braves and Brewers great Hank Aaron, who received a nearly two-minute standing ovation amid a sea of flash bulbs. While fans were paying scalper prices from $500 to $1,000 or more, they could have gotten a $125 seat until less than two hours before the opening pitch, as about 100 obstructed view seats were sold at face value Tuesday. Mitch Kinstler of Chicago said people "would want to have a heart attack" if he told them how much he paid for his seats on the first level between home plate and first base. "When you come to one of these, you might as well get good seats," he said. But after the game was called, fans who paid top dollar for seats were mad they did not see a conclusion to the midsummer classic. Some chanted "Bud must go!" and "Let them play!" before exiting the park. Kevin Hallinan, senior vice president of security for Major League Baseball, said there was no rioting or any other major security problems after the game. Security was tighter than last year's All-Star Game at Seattle's Safeco Field because of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks with a coordinated approach more like a World Series game. The large international media presence makes the game more susceptible to a terrorist who wants to make an impact, Hallinan said. Cars were randomly checked in the parking lot and fans and their bags were searched upon entrance, but lines generally moved briskly. Hallinan said authorities had not received any threats. But the mind of fans was on another work stoppage, which would be baseball's ninth. "It could be the last big baseball event ever," said Mike Bremer of Tempe, Ariz. "If they go on strike, no one is going to forgive them." One of the major sticking points of a new labor agreement struck home with local fans who have watched a struggling small-market team try to compete with teams such as the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. Brewers backers hoped a new collective bargaining agreement would include a more equitable system for revenue sharing to allow the team to acquire high-priced free agents. Even with more revenue from Miller Park, the Brewers have struggled to stay out of the bottom of the National League. The last time baseball's biggest spotlight was on the city was 1982, when the Brewers played the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series.
"It'll be years before we see good baseball here again," said Billy Mitchell of Milwaukee.
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