Donald Trump defeats Hillary Clinton in 'Bobblection'
Forget about the polls. Donald Trump won an election Thursday night. If history repeats itself, the businessman and reality TV star will become the next president of the United States.
The Fort Myers Miracle, Class A minor league affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, held their fourth “Bobblection” promotion at Hammond Stadium. Presidents George W. Bush won the first in 2004 and President Barack Obama won each of the previous two Miracle promotions in 2008 and 2012 before moving on to win the general elections in November.
The Bobblection rules were simple and definitely unscientific, as some couples attending could be seen walking away with a bobblehead of each mainstream candidate. There were 500 bobblehead dolls, each of Republican candidate Trump and Democratic contender Hillary Clinton.
There were 259 Clinton bobbleheads remaining when the 500th Trump doll was claimed. Miracle chief operating officer Steve Gliner oversaw the ballot counting. Trump received 59.9 percent of the vote to Clinton's 28.9 percent and the "other" choice's 11.2 percent.
"It was not rigged," Gliner said. "Trust me. This is very serious. We wanted to get this right."
As soon as the final Trump bobblehead disappeared, Gliner shut down the polls and began counting the remaining Clinton dolls, of which there were 241 claimed. There were 94 "other" bobbleheads claimed.
"People were very decisive on who they wanted to vote for," Gliner said. "Everything went real smooth, and the results are accurate."
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Tom Barrett, 50, and a Naples resident from Bethesda, Maryland, just outside of Washington, D.C., stood among the first 10 people in line. He arrived at about 5:15 p.m. for a 7:05 p.m. game starting time, when the Miracle faced the Palm Beach Cardinals. The gates opened at 6 p.m., and a minute later, Barrett held a box containing his Trump trophy.
“I’m tired of the politicians,” Barrett said. “I think we need businessmen in office to change some things around.
Jim Hyerczyk, 56 of Fort Myers by way of his hometown Chicago, favored Clinton. He was the 17th voter in line and the second Clinton supporter. The first declined to give his name.
“She knows how the machine works,” Hyerczyk said. “She knows how to give the people what they want.”
While Barrett and Hyerczyk had differing political views, they agreed that the divisiveness of this election season has hurt the nation.
“I’m an economics guy,” said Hyerczyk, author of Pattern Place and Time: Using Gann Theory in Technical Analysis, a book that discusses stock market trading techniques.
“I want to hear more about what they’re going to do with the economy,” he said. “They haven’t talked about that. It’s been all negative and name calling.”
Barrett said he wished people would be more civil when talking politics.
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“There’s a lot more arguing and crying among each other,” he said. “It’s almost like they’re making up stuff about each other instead of following the facts.
“The main goal is about protecting this country.”
David Beal, 44 and a Fort Myers resident, prefers the Libertarian Party in November. Although the Miracle didn’t commission a Gary Johnson bobblehead, the promotion, for the first time, did offer dolls to those who voted “other” on the ballot. Those bobbleheads were of “Stan” or “Haney,” based on Fort Myers 96 K-Rock radio personalities Stan Nawalaniec and Mark Haney.
“I was happy just like I am in a regular election,” Beal said. “I was happy to express my opinion and vote.”
Connect with this reporter: David Dorsey (Facebook),@DavidADorsey (Twitter).