On Saturday, May 17, the Milwaukee Brewers are bringing a slice of Wisconsin tradition to American Family Field, and fans couldn’t be more excited.
The first 25,000 ticketed fans through the gates will receive a custom-designed Racing Sausages Cribbage Board, blending hometown culture with team spirit.
Why Cribbage? Just Ask the Broadcast Booth
The idea isn’t just a marketing gimmick–it’s rooted in the Brewers’ own clubhouse culture.
TV broadcasters Jeff Levering and Vinny Rottino are avid cribbage players, famously engaging in what they call the “Levtino Cribbage Classic” during road trips.
“My dad taught me how to play when I was in first or second grade,” Rottino said. “When you learn basic arithmetic, you learn how to play cribbage.”
Rottino, a Racine native, learned the game from his father back in grade school.
Levering picked it up in 2023 and hasn’t looked back. The duo frequently battles during down moments in the booth, and the friendly rivalry has become part of Brewers lore.
“It was going down to the wire in Pittsburgh,” Levering said. “They showed a shot of us playing, and they had a graphic of what the scores were in the season series.
“I mean, I’m not going to say we’re taking credit for it, but we’ve been playing for a long time.”
What Is Cribbage, and Why Does It Matter in Wisconsin?
Cribbage is a classic card game that combines strategy, math skills, and a bit of luck–played with a standard 52-card deck and a distinctive scoring board.
The game is typically played by two players (though versions for three or four exist), and the goal is to be the first to score 121 points by forming card combinations that yield specific values–such as 15s, pairs, runs, and flushes.
At the heart of cribbage is the cribbage board–a wooden board with pegs used to track points, giving the game a unique tactile element and a visually engaging pace.
The game was invented in the early 1600s by English poet Sir John Suckling, but it has carved out an especially strong cultural foothold in parts of the U.S.
Most notably Wisconsin and Minnesota, where it’s a favorite among families, campers, and bar regulars alike.
In Wisconsin, cribbage isn’t just a pastime–it’s a tradition.
“Cribbage boards are often family heirlooms passed down through generations,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel‘s JR Radcliffe said.
It’s often associated with cabin getaways, coffee shop duels, and card games with grandparents.
That’s why the Brewers’ choice of a cribbage board for a fan giveaway doesn’t just make sense, it hits home.
“The former Brewers cribbage king was first baseman Rowdy Tellez,” MLB’s Adam McCalvy said.
“Who once declared himself ‘the greatest player to ever play, if I had to guess.'”
A Functional Collectible
The giveaway board isn’t just for show. It’s a fully functional cribbage set complete with a hidden storage compartmentfor pegs and a deck of cards.
Designed to showcase the iconic Racing Sausages, it doubles as a collectible for die-hard Brewers fans.
From tailgating to the bleachers, Wisconsin fans love their traditions, and the Brewers continue to honor that love.
With the Racing Sausages cribbage board, they’re not just giving away a game piece, they’re handing out a piece of local identity.
“It’s maybe not quite the Wisconsin game that sheepshead is, but it’s up there,” Radcliffe said.
What Started as Booth Banter Becomes a Ballpark Bonus for Brewers Fans