He carries a tune to pitch his beer
CELL, WRIGLEY | 'Singing vendor' is a hit with fans
Even though there are no lyrics to composer Gioachino Rossini's famous "William Tell Overture,'' beer vendor Mark Reiner has added his own as he walks the aisles at Cubs and White Sox games.
(Kevin Allen/Sun-Times)
"Beer, get a beer, get a Bud/Bud Light right here, who needs a beer?'' he croons.
The 55-year-old Reiner, a south suburban social studies teacher in the off-season, is better known to thirsty fans at Wrigley and U.S. Cellular fields as "The Singing Vendor.''
A fan of both teams, he has been shlepping suds in the stands on the North and South sides since 1973. But he has stepped up his game in the last five years by belting out his own lyrics -- working in the names of beer products -- to his favorite songs. He'll also sing along with the organ or whatever is playing on the loudspeaker.
For Reiner, the Monkees song "Pleasant Valley Sunday'' becomes "Pleasant Miller Sunday.'' The lyrics to "Happy Together'' become, "Imagine you and brew, I do/I think about it day and night, it's only right/To go and grab an ice-cold beer and chug one tight.''
The lyrics from "YMCA" offer Reiner an easy way to ask for proof that his clientele is of legal drinking age. He sings, "Young man, won't you show some ID/I said, young man, or else I will flee.''
Reiner first started singing at U.S. Cellular Field in 2004 when he changed the lyrics to then-Sox slugger Magglio Ordonez' theme song -- "Oh-wee-oh, Magglio'' -- to "Oh-wee-oh, Miller beer.''
"A couple of people kind of laughed and one guy said, 'Gimme a beer,'" said Reiner. "I was trying to differentiate myself some way, and it got me some regulars.''
The ability to stand out from the other vendors can lead to more tips or get an otherwise reluctant fan to yell, "Hey, Beer Man!''
"It's all hit or miss when you walk out there,'' said Reiner. "There's been days where I'll walk out and sell to 12 people right away. There's other days when you won't sell to one person. A lot of it is luck of the draw.''
He admits he's no Pavarotti, but Reiner's brand of everyman baritone and beer-enthusiast lyrics even elicits occasional tips from nondrinkers.
And with a beer costing $6.50 at Wrigley and $6.75 at the Cell, Reiner says fans deserve something more, especially in tough economic times.
"Even if it is just my lousy voice,'' he said.