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The Skittles man cometh

By Ed Shakespeare
for The Brooklyn Paper

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Back in the Cyclones’ inaugural 2001 season, Edgar Alfonzo was managing, and Mark Lazarus, the “Mayor of Section 14,” (right) was, as usual loudly cheering on the team from his perch near the Cyclones’ dugout.

Noticing that the players lacked a ballplayer staple, sunflower seeds, Lazarus began buying large bags of the seeds and tossing them down to the players before games.

The Cyclones went on to a 55-25 overall record that year with a share of the New York-Penn League championship.

Fast forward to 2007.

Edgar Alfonzo is back managing the Cyclones, the Cyclones are in first place again, winning games galore, and once again Lazarus is buying food – only this times it’s candy – Skittles.

It seems that the Cyclones’ bullpen loves Skittles.

Pitcher Grady Hinchman, who has spent parts of three seasons in Brooklyn, and catcher Steve Malvagna, a Cyclones’ rookie, love the stuff, and they have induced other Cyclone bullpen habitués into the Skittles habit.

“I get a large bag of Skittles for $1.99,” said Lazarus, pleased to once again contribute to Cyclone gustatory pleasure.

Well, Hinchman has an ERA of 2.25 and Malvagna is 2-for-3 on the season for a .667 batting average, so the Skittles sure ain’t hurting, but we’ll keep an eye on the waistlines.

©2007 Community Newspaper Group

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