Social media -- and Twitter, in particular -- serves several unintended purposes in the lives of its users. Set aside the rants, the feuds and the self-serving nature of telling anyone who cares (and some who don't) about what you had for breakfast this morning, Twitter is also an immediate and powerful source of breaking news.
In one instance, it's also a time machine, sending Brewers fans back to an exact moment as the team's magical 1982 World Series season played out.
For example, here's a tweet from Oct. 19, 2010, referencing in real-time what the Brewers were doing at that very moment on Oct, 19, 1982 (which happened to be right in the middle of the World Series): "Wow. Ozzie Smith attempts a steal of home, but the Brewers get him to keep the deficit at 2-0 after three."
Get it?
@Tweetsfrom1982 and PastKast.com are the brainchildren of Jon Loomer, a Colorado marketing executive who not only hails from Wisconsin, but fondly remembers the '82 season. In fact, he recalls it so well, he created this unique Twitter account, and its successor, @Tweetsfrom1987.
We caught up with Loomer via Twitter (of course) and through e-mail to get the back story on this most unique of ideas.
OnMilwaukee.com: How did you get the idea for Tweets from 1982 and PastKast.com?
Jon Loomer: TweetsFrom1982 was a spontaneous decision, but one I remember clearly. It was June 20 of last year, and the Brewers were having a rough month. They were 12 games under .500, and it was clear that it was again going to result in a disappointing finish. I was watching my Twitter feed, depressed by the negative Brewers tweets. "Brewers lose again." "Fire Ken Macha." Mixed in, I'd see optimistic tweets from Phillies and Yankees fans. I thought: How cool would it be to read and share positive things about my team? Then it hit me: How cool would it be if we had Twitter back in 1982, the almost-glory year for the Brewers and their fans? I quickly realized that everything I needed was out there for me to "react" to the 1982 season. So I created the Twitter account and made a few tweets. It took off quickly, and I soon realized that I had created a monster.
I had no plans for this becoming a Web site, Facebook page or anything else when I created TweetsFrom1982. I was just having a little fun. But then the idea quickly evolved into much more. Rob Peterson, a fellow Brewers fan and accomplished sports writer, became involved and with the help of Charlie Zegers, another friend from the sports world, we started PastKast.com for the final week of the 1982 regular season and postseason. It allowed us to do things that we couldn't do on Twitter. The Web site is where I see the most potential, and I can't wait to see where it goes this season.
OMC: What kind of work went into loading in all the information?
JL: I'd like to say it's easy. If I had programming skills, it would be a lot easier. But I'm a bit of an Excel geek, so that's just about as good. I start with a base of tweets that are formulated based on results, standings, leaders, game times, etc. But I don't want it to be a robot account, so I also add commentary and fan perspective. The play-by-play may be the most time intensive, but probably the most rewarding. I have a lot of fun with it, and the kids dig it. Try to channel my inner Uecker.
OMC: Technically speaking, how do you run the Twitter feed?
JL: I don't want to give away all of my secrets, but it's partly scheduled and partly managed in real time. I'd be a nut job if I actively managed it throughout the day, reacting to stuff in "real time" as it happened in 1982. I also don't have the time for it. I schedule out the base tweets on nights and weekends, then respond to followers' reactions as they come in. Needless to say, I consider myself lucky that my wife has been so supportive since it milks much of what is supposed to be my free time.
The benefit to covering a season from start to finish this year unlike last is that we have plenty of time to prepare. We know what's going to happen, so we're working on that content now.
OMC: Do you remember the 1982 season well? Has this project made you an expert?
JL: Yes and no. My brother and I were huge Brewers fans. I knew all of those dudes' uniform numbers, stats and batting stances. We regularly played baseball and acted out games as if we were members of that team. But we actually moved out of Wisconsin in the summer of 1982 when I was entering second grade. Not the best timing.
And considering I was only seven that year, I remember the kinds of things that a 7-year-old would remember. Part of the fun of this project is that while we've been "reliving" that season, I'm living the details for the first time. I give Rob a hard time because he's a little older than me, but he's also old enough to remember more of the details. I often go to him to sort out what doesn't show up in a box score.
I don't consider myself an expert on that season. It impacted me in a significant way. But there's still plenty I don't know, particularly since we haven't run the season from start to finish yet. I'm just a fan like anyone else.
OMC: What has been the response from the team and from fans?
JL: The little response I've gotten from the team has been supportive. But the fan response has been overwhelming. It's the only reason we're still doing this, and it's the only reason we're expanding to other teams. We're incredibly grateful to have the fans along for the ride. Their enthusiasm and contributions are what make this awesome.
JL: I actually heard from Dwayne Mosley, Bob Uecker's radio partner during the 1982 season. It was completely unexpected. I hope to get him involved in some way this season. If this thing continues to take off this year, maybe some of the former players will be willing to get involved, as well.
OMC: You don't live in Milwaukee, though. Do you feel closer to Wisconsin because of this project?
JL: Absolutely. I know everything that's going on in Milwaukee now because the community on Twitter keeps me informed. My folks still live in Wisconsin, but I feel like I know more about what's going on in that state than they do because I'm so closely connected now. I get out there every once in a while, but I'd love to get out for a viewing of Game 5 of the ALCS. That's always been a goal.
OMC: How did you choose 1987 for your next season?
JL: I wanted the fans to determine the next team we'd cover, so we held a vote on PastKast.com between the 1987 Brewers, 1992 Brewers and 1957 championship Milwaukee Braves. Secretly, I was pulling for the 1987 team.
Like I said, I don't remember much of the 1982 season. That team, though, is why I became such a big Brewers fan in the first place, and is also why baseball is such an important part of my life. That said, my childhood memories are wrapped up in the 1987 season since I was old enough to soak it all in. After a rough patch following the 1982 and 1983 seasons, things were looking up. They were getting younger. The Brewers had, we were told, the best farm system in baseball. In 1987, we would start seeing the fruits of that when players like BJ Surhoff, Glenn Braggs, Mike Felder, Chris Bosio, Bill Wegman, Dan Plesac and Billy Jo Robidoux were reaching the big club and making contributions. The anticipation was amazing.
We didn't live in Wisconsin at the time, but we still got "What's Brewing," and we were just close enough to listen to Uecker on WTMJ. It crackled, particularly when a thunderstorm separated us, but with the help of an AM booster we could hear just enough to follow every single game.
When they started winning, I remember a friend telling me they could go 162-0 that year. I almost believed him. My brother and I excitedly began charting out their wins on graph paper that acted as a poster in my room. It got a bit depressing when that graph took a steep dive for 12 games, but it was dramatic nonetheless.
The only thing that season lacked was a championship. They had the veteran core of Yount, Molitor, Cooper and Gantner that carried over from 1982. They had that exciting young group of players. They tied a record by winning 13 straight to start the season, soon followed by that dreadful 12 game losing streak. Juan Nieves' no-hitter. Easter Sunday. Molitor's 39-game hitting streak. How could we not cover that season?
OMC: You've been unusually anonymous in this venture. Why? Do you have a background in tech? Sports?
JL: I'm largely a private person, and I've never wanted this project to be about me. I was a fantasy sports nerd in a past life that culminated in a three-season stint overseeing fantasy games for the NBA.
OMC: What's your business model here?
JL: TweetsFrom1982 was started on a whim, and the entire concept is constantly evolving based on what the fans want. While I certainly have ideas for expanding the site, going into mobile and more, the fans will tell us where we'll go. And as Mark Zuckerberg may or may not have said, the main goal is just to make something cool.
I am constantly pushing for this to become more within our means, but the fans ultimately decide where it will go. In my mind, the future consists of more teams, more sports, more fan interaction and ultimately user generated content. I see a future where we are something of a Wikipedia of sports, though that may not be a completely accurate comparison.
We are in the process of reworking the site to make room for the addition of the 1987 Brewers. Realizing the potential of history is in front of us, we also hope to cover the 2011 Brewers.
But make no mistake, we're limited by time and resources. Always looking for good people. To realize our goals, we need passionate writers and smart people who want to help make this as cool as it can be. Developers, designers, investors. Money, too. Money is always helpful.
Andy is the president, publisher and founder of OnMilwaukee. He returned to Milwaukee in 1996 after living on the East Coast for nine years, where he wrote for The Dallas Morning News Washington Bureau and worked in the White House Office of Communications. He was also Associate Editor of The GW Hatchet, his college newspaper at The George Washington University.
Before launching OnMilwaukee.com in 1998 at age 23, he worked in public relations for two Milwaukee firms, most of the time daydreaming about starting his own publication.
Hobbies include running when he finds the time, fixing the rust on his '75 MGB, mowing the lawn at his cottage in the Northwoods, and making an annual pilgrimage to Phoenix for Brewers Spring Training.
