Forget about Nov. 6. President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney's first presidential battle will come Friday.
When the Williamsport Crosscutters take on the Batavia Muckdogs that night, the team is offering the first 1,000 fans through the gate the opportunity to participate in a "bobble election."
As fans enter Bowman Field - gates open at 6 p.m. with the game starting at 7:05 p.m. - they will have a choice between a bobblehead of Obama or one of Romney.
Article Photos
CRAIG S. McKIBBEN JR./Sun-Gazette
Fans of the Williamsport Crosscutters have a chance of taking home a bobblehead of either President Barack Obama or Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, if they are among the first 1,000 people at Friday’s game against Batavia.
"There are 500 of each of the bobbleheads ... so as people come in, they get to choose which one they want," said Gabe Sinicrop Jr., vice president of marketing and public relations for the team. "So whichever one goes first, they win our bobble election."
Sinicropi said after the winning bobblehead runs out, fans only will have one option - so if they want to cast a vote, they should show up early.
He also said that although he would "love to take credit for coming up with the idea," it is a promotion that many minor league baseball teams are doing as election day comes closer. The Cutters decided to get in on it, as well.
With high school football games and other Friday night events beginning as school starts, Sinicropi said the team usually tries to have interesting giveaways to draw a crowd.
"We're doing it just obviously as a fun promotion, just like any promotion that we do. Any of our late-season games are tough for us with kids going back to school," he said.
And from what he's heard so far from the public, Sinicropi is expecting the mock election to be a hit.
"Lots of people thought it was a neat idea as soon as we announced it so we would expect they'll be here that night," Sinicropi said.
And whoever fans choose, they should be happy with the product. Sinicropi said unlike some bobbleheads he has seen in the past, he's pleased with the look of both.
Both bobblehead candidates sport Crosscutter jerseys with their last name and the number 12 on it.
"We think both of the bobbleheads came out great. You never know with bobbleheads," he said.
But with a winner being announced, should fans read anything into the results of the Cutters' election? Could this election forecast the actual winner come November?
"I doubt it," Sinicropi said with a laugh. "It's certainly a very, very ... small sample size."
But he did add that it might give a preview of how the area will vote come Nov. 6.
