C.C. Reader
from page one
one, though, and the chicken now comes
to the arena with a complete wardrobe.
It includes a black and white striped
shirt (made from a diaper) and a tiny
blue jersey bearing the name of whoever
Hershey is playing, both to be worn
when the chicken is hung in effigy.
However, the signs alone were the
real start of Al's popularity and they
have truly developed into a sophisticated
art. Painted on large rectangles of heavy
paper, each sign takes Al about 20
minutes to do, although some have taken
hours. The ideas come from anywhere
from "The Flintstones" to a suggestion
from another fan to Al's dreams. In fact,
Dee no longer even asks what he's doing
when he leaps out of bed at 3 a.m. to
scribble something on a piece of paper.
After painting them, Al numbers
each one so they're easier to work with.
On the back of a large envelope, he has
every message listed by number and
categorized as to what action in the
game it would follow. Say, for example,
Rochester scores; Al replies with "I
CAN'T BEAR IT" or "4 SALE -- USED
TICKETS." Other favorites at the arena
are: "SEND IN THE CLOWNS" when
the refs come on, "NOBODY DOES IT
BETTER" when Hershey scores and
"GONG SHOW REJECTS" when op
ponents enter the penalty box.
It's been two years since "Big Al"
held up that first sign and.today he's as
much a part of a Bears' game as the
opening face-off is. Now a season ticket
holder, he sits (and stands and shouts
and performs) where else, but at center
ice. "Sure, I'm a hot dog -- I've gotta be
at center ice, right on camera," he
admits with a botish grin, "but I don't do
it for the publicity. I do it for fun, to
entertain everyone and to get the crowd
fired up and involved with the game."
Apparently, he has accomplished this
goal.
One lady, whose seat for the season is
right across the aisle from Al's, remarks,
"I've been to other arenas and their
crowds seem more passive than Her
shey's. Al's a positive force; he gets you
into th.. game. And at times," she adds
with a giggle, "it's like getting two
shows for the price of one." Tom Tulli,
sales and promotion director for the
Bears, notes, too, that "there's definitely
less crowd enthusiasm on Wednesday
nights when Al isn't at the games and
Saturday nights when he's in full swing."
.
The players, also, feel the Sign Man
is a plus for the fans and for themselves.
Defenseman Greg Theberge says Al's
like a bit of extra entertainment, "some
thing for us to watch during a stppage of
play.
Left winger Harvey Pocza admits he,
too, finds himself watching Al and he
By Francis Guidarelli
The Graduate Student Union (GSU)
elected a new set of officers for the 1981
academic year. The new officers include :
President, Roya Salmassion (MPA);
Vice-President, Raj Varma (M Adm);
Secretary-Treasurer, Francis Guidarelli
(MPA); and, Mia Reynoso (Masters
Psycho-Social Science), who serves as
Public Relations Officer.
Graduate students are encouraged to
join the club, or talk with any of the
officers and members , about matters
which affect graduate students, such as
early tuition payments, career planning,
and social activities.
On Thursday, April 30, the GSU
sponsored a reception from 7 to 9 p.m. in
the. Gallery Lounge. Graduate students
and faculty spent a relaxing time meet-
Signs of a True Fan
adds, "You can't help but notice him!"
Even the Bears' serious captain, Claude
Noel, laughs just thinking about the Sign
Man and says, "He's pretty vocal, if you
know what I mean, and not many people
could do what he does, but it works. He
gets the crowd going and really adds to
the game "
Even the refs, usually the brunt of
Al's jokes, take his razzing well. Though
they're not to show any emotion on the
ice, especially concerning a fan, Al
catches them giving him a wink or
peeking at his signs and chuckling. Once
while visiting relavtives in Pittsburgh,
Al went to see the Penguins and took a
few signs. "When Alf LaJeune, who
frequently refs in Hershey, saw me, he
just shook his head and said, 'I don't
believe it.' "
Although publicity isn't the Sign
Man's purpose, Al realizes he can't avoid
it. He has been featured in several local
newspapers and NBC's "Real People"
recently contacted him, saying they may
be interested in having him on a future
show. He admits his job does have added
dividends. "I really am flattered -- like
when I missed two games in a row and a
bunch of fans said, 'Where were ya? It
just wasn't the same. We missed ya!' or
when the players invite me to join them
for a few drinks." Then, with a worried
look, he adds, "I hope this doesn't go to
my head."
Unfortunately, the publicity is not
always positive. Last year, some fans
complained about the sign "PUCK
YOU," which happened to be Al's favor
ite. "i realized the sign might have been
a little riske," he adds, "but the next
game after the front office told me I
couldn't use it, my buddy put a bag over
my head and told me to use it as the
Unknown Sign Man. I just couldn't
resist! After the second warning,
though, I stopped. I'm not there to
offend anybody. "
As he remembers, only one person
was ever really offended and Al was
asked to leave the game because of it.
After one of his frequent on-ice bouts,
Ed Hospodar, then with the New Haven
Nighthawks, was boiling in the penalty
box. Dangling the chicken over the glass,
Al harassed Ed until he lifted his stick to
take a swing. "I shouldn't have said
anything about his mother," Al says
innocently, "that made him real mad."
While he sometimes gets too ram
buctious, the Sign Man's intentions are
sincere. last Christmas, he got permis
sion from Hersheypark Arena Security
to play Santa Claus. Outfitted in a red
suit and with a big belly, white hair and
beard, Al skated around with CoCo, the
Bears' mascot, in between periods. He
also bought candy and gave it out to the
kids.
GSU NEWS
ing over coffee and cookies. More than 40
students found time to stop by, and
many were pleasantly surprised to find a
graduate organization on campus.
The GSU has scheduled other activi
ties, including an informal discussion
about career planning, and a post-exam
colloquy at a local restaurant.
On Wednesday, May 20, the GSU will
sponsor another get together from 7 to 9
p.m. in the Gallery Lounge. Grad stu
dents and faculty should plan to drop by
either before class, during a break, or
before going home. Meet some old
friends and make some new ones. Grad
uate education is a demanding business.
If students work together to pool their
energy and ideas, Capitol Campus grad
uate education can become a more
productive and enjoyable experience.
Thursday, May 14, 1981
There isn't anyone who would do
what Al does, just to show he's a number
one fan
Recently, local radio station WKBO
sponsored a contest called "What I
would Do For $5,000." One brave guy
wrote that he would dress as a Playboy
THE SUN ALSO SETS— READER Photographer Mark W. Clauser captor
this awe-inspiring sunset near the Main Building last week.
ACROSS
Diamond club
Hopeful one
Curved span
Turkish
sword
Daytona 500, 7.
for one
Minded the
baby 8.
Nudge 9.
Nemesis
Born , 10.
Improper ;
disorderly 11.
On the briny
12.
Four-posters
Archetypal
Shaped like 18 -
an inverted 22.
bowl
Pamper 23.
Sunflower 25
State
Former
Russian ruler 27
Austere
16.
17.
19.
20.
21.
23.
24.
26.
"House" in
Seville
Nevada city
In the past
Ersatz; un
natural: abbr.
Birch Bayh or
Lawton Chiles
Peruse
40.
42.
43.
46.
48.
49.
Diminutive
Geometric
function
"Knight of
the road"
Stopovers
Components
Personal data
item
52.
53.
54.
DOWN
1. Blustery
conduct
2. Consents
bunny -- stockings, high heels and all --
and go to the Bears' first home playoff
game. To increase his chances of winning
the money, he added that he would cheer
against the Bears and try to get the
crowd to do the same. What grown man
would do such a thing? You got it.
In that case
Blockheads
Alarmed
Poe's "The
and the
Pendulum"
Common
contraction
Actor Torn
Make up
(for)
Without
covering
Corners
numerals
(1, 2, 3 ete.)
Strong winds
Excellent :
hyph. wd.
Propensity
Nick Charles'
dog
Stonecutter
Thick black
liquid
Reception
arrangement
World War I
French battle
site
Dormitory
sounds
Express dis
pleasure at
Slice with
finesse
Pertaining to
a region
Olivier's
milieu
Requires
Polo's
destination
Foal's mother
Came
through
51. Exist
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