MILWAUKEE -- On ¡°The Next Episode¡± for Snoop Dogg, the iconic hip-hop artist and actor made a surprise appearance at the Brewers¡¯ American Family Field.
Before performing at Milwaukee¡¯s Potawatomi Casino Hotel on Saturday night, Snoop Dogg made the rounds at the home of the Brewers before and during their 3-1 win over the Reds. He FaceTimed with 90-year-old fan Bob Uecker. He signed a pair of shoes for fellow Skechers enthusiast Wade Miley. He made the rounds in the Brewers' clubhouse, threw a ceremonial first pitch that drew a standing ovation from the surprised crowd of 38,419, and, most memorably of all, a couple of innings of play-by-play in the Brewers¡¯ television booth.
¡°He¡¯s a total vibe, man. One hundred percent,¡± said Brewers first-base coach Quintin Berry. ¡°It was from the instant he walked in, he had a big smile on and was ready to take pictures. Anything you wanted, he was available.¡±
Of all the Brewers' players and coaches, Berry had the best moment. Besides being the mind behind the aggressive style of baserunning that has helped lift the Brewers to the top of the NL Central standings, Berry is the team¡¯s unofficial catcher of ceremonial first pitches.
Typically, it¡¯s a mundane task. But when he heard earlier in the week that Snoop Dogg was coming, Berry made it known that he couldn¡¯t wait.
¡°I catch those ceremonial pitches all year long, and then every time a celebrity or somebody really cool comes by, someone like ¡®Yeli¡¯ [Christian Yelich] gets to do it,¡± Berry said. ¡°I made it known that nobody but me was going to catch this pitch.¡±
Naturally, Brewers manager Pat Murphy intervened. He enlisted GM Matt Arnold, director of team travel Dan Larrea and Snoop himself to prank Berry into believing that longtime Brewers television color analyst Bill Schroeder would get the honor. Schroeder, after all, had just been honored the night before for his 30 years in the booth.
Berry was dejected. Fans who watched closely saw that after catching the first handful of first pitches from sponsors and Girl Scouts ¨C it was Girl Scout Day at the ballpark ¨C Berry walked off toward the dugout.
Snoop Dogg, who was in on the joke, cut him off. He told him he couldn¡¯t do it without Berry.
¡°It was beautiful, really,¡± Murphy said with a laugh.
Berry took it in stride.
¡°They got me. They got what they wanted out of it,¡± Berry said. ¡°But it worked out and I¡¯m happy about it.¡±
True to form, Snoop added flair just before the first pitch, invoking his dance from the music video for his 2004 single ¡°Drop It Like It¡¯s Hot.¡±
When he finished throwing out his first pitch, Snoop Dogg joined the Bally Sports Wisconsin broadcast with Brian Anderson and Schroeder. Of many memorable moments, one in particular stood out as he watched Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz make one of his electric throws that he¡¯s known for.
¡°Oh lord! He¡¯s got a rocket in his pocket,¡± Snoop Dogg said after De La Cruz threw out the speedy Brice Turang at first base for the third out in the bottom of the second.
It was a day those who met him won¡¯t forget.
¡°It was a different level,¡± Berry said. ¡°He¡¯s at the mountaintop.¡±