Born To Tailgate, Arctic Style!

By George Mallet

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MILWAUKEE— Hours after sunset, a line of tents, illuminated by tiny charcoal grills and lanterns, remained in place beside Miller Park. Outside some hearty souls threw beanbags at a makeshift, plywood target. The drinks flowed. The laughter was infectious. Call this the annual “Arctic Tailgate.” Dozens of baseball fans camp out at the ballpark in hopes of getting good seats to opening day and other single games during the baseball season to come. Nick Yohanek didn’t even have a tent. He only had a metal chair and warm thoughts of the hot summer nights ahead. He described the perfect night. “Forty thousand plus,” he said closing his eyes to picture the scene. “Very loud. Everybody’s jacked, little kids on up all the way to the elderly.” Eric Devens must have been thinking warm thoughts too. He was wearing shorts as he sat beside his small grill at the entrance to his tent. “I get a lot of crazy looks,” he conceded. “But, I’ve worn shorts the last three winters non-stop.” As the night wore on, many of the fans started to show signs of the chilly night. Some shivered. Some tucked themselves beneath blankets in their tents. But one four month old pit bull named Peanut wasn’t shivering at all. Her owner slipped her inside his snow suit. The pup peered out of the cozy confines at the happy fools around her as if she were trying to figure out what they were all doing.