Currently I am working hard to become the most famous and noted box office employee that has ever worked for the Orioles. I am trying to come up with a shtick that will earn me some notoriety. What I have found is that no matter how many magic tricks I pull where the ticket isn’t printed correctly, or the tricks where I don’t give correct change, I cannot even get in the conversation of best stadium workers in Baltimore. Any given week at the Yard you can find one or two hot shots that make people laugh or have a routine that drums up peanut sales, but most of them will just have to get in line with some of Baltimore’s true national vendor icons. Marc Rosenberg, Perry Hahn and Clarence Haskett are the true legends of the business. Maybe their names don’t ring a bell, but their entertaining personalities might.
Perry Hahn, aka “Robo Vendor,” is able to open and pour 2 beer cans in six seconds. Robo Vendor is easy to spot because of a $4,500 dollar device he calls a “Tandem High Speed Can Opener,” he wears on his hand that allows him to essentially saw off the top of 2 cans at a time in just seconds. From what I have found, it was during the ’89 season problems began to arise for the beer vendors at Memorial Stadium. The crowds were huge, the team was exciting and the beer vending staff was short. Hahn, with an electrical engineering degree from the University of Maryland, put his knowledge to..should I say..good use? He has said in interviews that he could pour a whole case in less than a minute. Apparently Hahn is still out there and was seen as recently as Preakness. That’s great for a guy that started in 1982.
Clarence Haskett, aka “Fancy Clancy,” would literally bend over backwards to sell a beer. I never saw
Fancy Clancy, but many of you probably did. Some of you, if you were lucky (and a good tipper) even got to start a tab with him, unheard of in the stadium vending business. One of his best tip earning tricks though is when he would bend over the handrail at the stadium to hand out beers. Haskett claims to have earned $100 an hour..at least that is what he said in a 2004 City Paper interview. That is insane money for someone who doesn’t even need it. Haskett is the Vice President of All Pro Vending, which has the vending contracts with RFK Stadium, Navy Stadium and more locally, M&T Bank Stadium which they have had lock on since 1998.
Marc Rosenberg, aka “The Lemonade Shaking Guy,” became a true celebrity, and it all happened essentially by chance. Back during a game in 1996 Rosenberg was asked to help out selling lemonade in the cheap seats. After a few games of lack-luster sales and annoying kids yelling at him, he nearly broke down and flipped out, which caused him to shake violently before handing out a lemonade. People loved it..in fact it made a him a lot of tip money. He eventually moved to the good seats and the rest is history. Now what does that mean you may ask? What would the natural next step be for a guy selling lemonade? Well, Rosenberg went on to be featured in ESPN The Magazine, Southern Living, The Washington Post and several appearances on local TV. That’s not it. No, the Lemonade Shaking Guy also has his own business! You can get him to make an appearance at your next company picnic or Bar Mitzah. He is also a motivational speaker now and his clientele list is pretty impressive with places such as Bose Corporation, Breast Fest, Washington Wizards and Bacardi USA, Inc. included.
~ Gordon Southard, Sports Hodgepodge Correspondent
Filed under: Baseball, Orioles Tagged: | Fancy Clancy, Robo Vendor, The Lemonade Shaking Guy
I remember all these characters, but particularly ‘Robo Vendor’. I believe he had to convert his can opening gadget into a bottle opener when the stadiums made the switch to plastic bottles. The bottle gadget actually seemed to be more arduous and time consuming than simply unscrewing the cap.
I’ve seen all those guys. Makes getting beer almost as good as drinking it. Good article.
great article Gordon! we need some levity on the site. good stuff.
Does anyone remember/miss Barry “The Stallion” Streib and his patented ‘AHhhhhh Biiiiiiinnnnnnggggoooooooo Baby’ shtick? His Ravens analysis was lacking, but you gotta love his flare. I think he might have run into some legal trouble down there in O.C.
This is seriously one of the best sports-related articles I’ve read in a while.