The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Miocic bobblehead draws crowd
Baseball fans love their bobbleheads.
Just ask Nicky Suglia of Willowick. She was one of about 500 who lined up before the gates were open at 5:30 p.m. on June 9 before the Captains game.
Those who lined up were there to ensure they got a Stipe Miocic bobblehead. The first 1,500 into the park received one.
The figurine features Miocic in a Captains jersey carrying a firehose, signifying his first career as a firefighter and paramedic. His second career is that of the current UFC heavyweight champion of the world.
That’s why hundreds were lined up at the main gate of Classic Park.
Overcast conditions and the threat of rain — plus the Cavaliers playing the Warriors in Game 4 of the NBA Finals — likely kept some at home.
Those who said heck with the conditions were rewarded a Miocic bobblehead on “First Responders Night.”
Suglia is a Miocic fan, but admitted she also enjoys the soothing effect of a bobblehead.
“If I’m having a bad day at work, I make the head wobble and it makes me laugh,” she said. “I love bobbleheads.”
Suglia’s friend Amanda Griffith of Eastlake loves to box, so she was hoping to get a Miocic bobblehead. Those hopes were granted as she met up with her friend about 30 minutes after the gates were opened.
A scheduling conflict prevented Miocic from being at the game, but his blood line was present. Miocic’s mother, Kathy, waited in line like everyone else and got a bobblehead of her son. She was impressed.
“I think it’s very nice,” said Kathy.
Some of the first through the gates to get a Miocic bobblehead were longtime season ticket holders Cheryl and Paul Hopkins of Munson Township. The couple usually gives away their bobbleheads to friends and family. Cheryl Hopkins said the Captains’ promotion was nice, but it would have been better with one more thing. “I think it would have been nice if (Miocic) had popped his head in here for a short while,” said Cheryl.
The Miocic bobblehead was unique in one sense: The UFC champion has no direct ties to the Indians or Captains, but as a graduate of North High School, there’s an immediate connection with Lake County.
That doesn’t mean bobble fanatics didn’t make a trek just for the Miocic bobbleheads because a few did.
Pedro Alvarez made a trip from Akron with his two young children in tow to land the bobblehead. One look at Alvarez’s Tshirt gave it away. It read, “Bobblehead Addict.”
Alvarez created a Facebook group called — you guessed it — “Bobble Head Addicts” that has close to 7,000 members.
Alvarez said he has about 600 bobbles in his collection and the Miocic ranks with some of the best he owns.
“There so many different designs for a bobblehead,” said Alvarez. “They’re for everyone.”