MILWAUKEE – A Milwaukee Brewers win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday, Oct. 12 at Miller Park could mean a round of free hamburgers from local restaurant George Webb – something that hasn’t happened since the team notched a dozen wins in a row in 1987.
Rodney Waters was among the Brewers fans who received a free hamburger, and, three decades later, he still has it.
Waters kept his burger, nicknamed “Little Georgie,” stowed in the freezer at Gold Coast Subs in Milwaukee. It has no condiments, just a patty and buns, and is still in its original wrapper. He even had his 1987 burger notarized. “[I] wanted to make sure this was done right,” Waters said.
April 22, 1987 was the last time George Webb made good on their long-standing promise to hand out free burgers to customers after 12 Brewers’ wins.
“The line was so long,” Waters remembered. “I thought, ‘I might as well have fun with this.'”
George Webb Vice President Ryan Stamm said the company gave away 200,000 burgers in 1987.
“We’re talking to suppliers, talking to our franchisees and making sure they are ready,” Stamm said. “Yeah, it will be busy.”
If the Brewers win on Friday, Stamm said they’re prepared to hand out 4,000 burgers at each location.
Waters told WITI he’ll be lining up again if the Brewers pull off another victory, and added that he won’t be eating that 1987 burger, although he would consider auctioning it for charity.
Stamm said if there is a win on Friday, they’ll make an announcement about their free burger giveaway next week.