Standout Vendors

[nymdan]

There's a cotton candy vendor at Shea who commutes from Kansas City. Yep, you read that correctly.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/26/nyregion/26fan.html?n=Top/News/Sports/Baseball/Major%20League/New%20York%20Mets

My favorite vendor at Shea is a pretzel vendor in the upper deck, who screams in this loud, throaty voice... "Hot pretzels here! Smokin' here! Hot, hot, hot!" Then every once in a while he'll say something like "Prezels here! Better than steriods!" which I heard him say when Bonds and the Giants were in town.

[Lafferty Daniel]

Who's the famous beer vendor at Minnesota Twins games?

Wally the Beerman. He's a local legend.

[2Chance]

Somewhere around 20-25 years ago, I was driving home from work listening to the last game of Cincinnati Reds' spring training. Marty and Joe were chuckling and saying, "Let's see if you can hear this."

The vendor was going up the aisle, sounding weary:
"Hot dogs, hot dogs....hot dawwwwgs....(then suddenly very excited) VEAL PARMESAN!!"

[CaliforniaCajun]

Who's the famous beer vendor at Minnesota Twins games?

[sfgunit707]

Old guy at Sacramento Rivercats games does some sort of Irish Jig... fans go crazy and the scoreboard flashes, "CRAZY IRISH USHER"... the people love that guy (second loudest ovation only to the strikeout of the "Beer Batter"). Gotta love minor league ball.

[2Chance]

I wasn't there for this, but...

from Detroit Tigers -- Lists and More-- by Pattison & Raglin (2002)
Our Favorite Tiger Stadium Employees
Herbie "Love Bug" Redmond. While the grounds crew tending the infield went stolidly about their work during the Tigers' win-starved years of the 1970s, Redmond shook his hips and waved his cap as part of his crowd-pleasing routine.

Then there's the Coca-Cola vendor whose name is not known. He most often plied his trade in the left field corner of the lower deck. He would have a running call and response pitch:

Vendor: "Beep beep beep."
Fans: "Ice cold Coke."
Vendor: "Beep beep beep."
Fans: "Ice cold Coke."
Vendor: "Ice cold Coke."
Fans: "Beep beep beep."

[west coast orange and black]

haphazard: ...any other unique vendors in other ballparks .... gimmicks .... catchphrases

heard at giants games: "get yer dodger sunflower seeds here! chew 'em up an' spit 'em out!"

also, there is one particular vendor who can be heard bellowing form 3 sections away.
man, that dude is LOUD!

[redbuck]

There's a beer vendor, Tim, at GABP. He's been with the Reds for about 15 years, since Riverfront days. He does the tremendously loud COOOOOOOOLD BEEEEEEEEEEEEER HEEEEEEEEEEEEERE! Always gets applause, and can easily be heard from the bleachers when he's behind home plate. Gotta love that guy!

Can be heard on the radio too.

haven't read all the other posts, but Cleveland's "Singing beerman" leads sections in renditions of "Roll out the barrell".

[bluezebra]

There's vendor at Stater Bros. Stadium (formerly Mavericks Stadium) in Adelanto, CA, home of the High Desert Mavericks (Advanced A, California League). known as the "Mav Hatter". He wears outrageous hats, mainly a top hat, loaded with various types of buttons. He used to jump up on the third base dugout and dance between innings, but age and bad legs have caught up with him.

Bob

[KennyK]

The greatest vendor on this planet!!

In the 80's there was a coke vendor who always worked harder than all the rest, at the Maryland football games-- running up and down the steps with three trays of cokes while the others had one. (He wore a white headband with a huge red dot in the center of it) When it was cold he would switch to hot chocolate in the second half.He still does the Maryland Football and Basketball games.

At one basketball game I went to buy a coke from him, but he wouldn't sell it to me. He said, "Man, you don't want this, it's my last one and it's all watered down from the melted ice."

He now sells beer at Orioles home games, and Nationals Home games. This vendor has several inventions. One for opening beer cans, and one for bottles.

It's the same guy that made such an impression on cong in 1992!

[Brian McKenna]

I was at a Yankee Oriole game in Camden yards in 92. We sat in the center field bleachers. They had a beer vendor there who opened cans of beer with a portable duel can opener. Took the top right off th can for quick pouring.

The guy sold more beer than any 2 other vendors combined because everyone liked to watch him use his toy.

I have pictures that I am going to have to look for now

that guy had a patent on that gizmo

the orioles for years have had a vendor who is a vp or something with the babe ruth museum - he is a descendant of the bambino

[runningshoes]

One of my favorites was The Earl of Bud, a beer vendor at Buffalo Sabres games. They would play Tequila for him while he did a funcky dance. The crowd loved it. I was told he did it at Bills and Bisons games as well. I never saw him at Rich Stadium, but the place is probably too big to get the crowds attention.

[Gamingboy]

I remember seeing somewhere (ESPN? CNN? I can't remember) about how there's a usher at Turner Field who will tell you the importance of any number in Baseball history.

For example, say "61" and he'll talk about how it was the number of home runs Roger Maris hit in 1961, 1961 was the year that HOFer Kirby Puckett was born, it was the year that Ty Cobb died, etc.

[CuriousBoston]

Hey Theo!!!!!!

I go to tons dodger games a year and have bought peanuts from him many times (in which he loves to to give you his card). But has anyone noticed his horrible wig.

Sign him before Georgie does! Was there ever a pitcher named Peanuts? Or a pitcher that warmed up singing opera?

About 20 years ago there was a hot dog guy at Municipal Stadium whose catch-phrase was 'eenie meanie who wants a weenie?'

There's a beer guy at Jacobs Field who is popular with casual fans but is annoying as hell.