How the 1982 World Series taught one fan about prayer and perspective

The start of the 2026 World Series triggers a remembrance from October 1982 when the Milwaukee Brewers were last in the Fall Classic.

That autumn was memorable season for a number of reasons. Four months after getting married, Wendy and I moved to Chicago. As 30-year-old newlyweds, we were adjusting to doing life with another person in a new place. I was swamped with graduate studies and Wendy was adjusting to a new job. Our 500-square-foot apartment found us dealing with claustrophobia all the while missing family.

When my college roommate, then a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin, invited us to spend the weekend in Madison, we jumped at the opportunity. A month into our new routine, we were ready for a break.

On Saturday afternoon we went with Kel and Marg to the Michigan State-Wisconsin football game at Camp Randall Stadium. It was my first Big Ten Conference game and I was blown away by the capacity crowd. I had never seen such enthusiasm from so many fans at a college football game.

As I watched the game from our seats, I observed something that was quite peculiar. When the Wisconsin quarterback was sacked, Badger fans cheered. When the Spartans scored a touchdown, the home crowd in red jerseys exploded with excitement. To say the least, I was bewildered. What would account for this unexpected and seemingly inappropriate behavior. Why would Wisconsin fans cheer when their team was losing?

Eventually it dawned on me. Countless Badger football fans had portable radios in the stands. They were listening to Game 4 of the 1982 World Series between the Milwaukee Brewers and the St. Louis Cardinals. And whenever the Brewers scored a run, those in Camp Randall Stadium who were tuned to the baseball game erupted in applause in spite of what was happening on the football field.

Throughout the rest of our weekend in Madison, I pondered that takeaway from the football game. For me it suggested a spiritual lesson. Setbacks and obstacles on which we are currently fixated need not dictate our emotional response. We don’t have to be held hostage by present circumstances. In spite of what is happening in our lives, we have the possibility of tuning to another frequency in which we are reminded that God is in control.

For a person of faith that “other frequency” is prayer. As with a portable radio, we can adjust the dial to what God is doing beyond our ability to see. By quieting the noise around us and listening to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit, we are reminded of the truth of Romans 8:28 that says, “all things work together for the good of those who are called according to God’s purposes.” What appears to be a loss is actually a win when viewed through another perspective.

Recently while shopping at our neighborhood thrift store, I came across something that brought that unforgettable Saturday afternoon in Madison to mind. It was a commemorative T-shirt from the 1982 World Series in which the Milwaukee Brewers reached the Fall Classic for the very first time. Of course I had to buy it. It is a tangible reminder of an intangible spiritual insight I never want to forget.

• The Rev. Greg Asimakoupoulos is a former Naperville resident who writes about faith and family.