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’Bleacher Creature'With Braves NotATLANTA AP Some of the things Alan Stensland has gone through are enough to drive the permanent smile from the fuzzy green costume he wears to his part-time job at Atlanta StadiumStensland is the man behind or rather under the “Bleacher Creature’’ that parades through the stands at Atlanta Braves home games.With the heat, humidity and kids, he really earns the $15 he makes every time he suits up“I went out on a general admission night once and had my eye taken out and handed back to me.” remembers the 5-foot Hinchcollege studentThat happened during his first night as the creature in 1976, and since then his ap pea ranees in the stands have been watched from a discreet distance by a security guardBut it’s no real protection against the over-zealous 5 and 6 year-olds he's paid to entertainOn bat night, they did their best to remove my kneecaps.” Stensland said One little kid came up behind me and ripped open the back of mv costume and said, ‘Hello in tbereEasyStensland, who made 250 appearances at games, parades and parties last year, says one of his biggest enemies at the ballpark is the heatWearing the :to pound creature costume is one of the prices of anonymous fameI put a thermometer in there once It was loo degrees on a cool day,” Stensland said “I’ve been too chicken to put it in there againThe high humidity is what kills me It's like taking a steam bath When I start getting tired and irritable, I go down to the ushers lounge and take the costume off for a w hile ”Stensland was working as an usher at theballpark when creature hood was thrust uponhimHe just happened to meet the requirements He was between 5-8 and 5-10 and wore a size 10' • shoeThey gave me the costume and I asked what I was supposed to do,” Stensland said They just said. Here, you’re the Bleacher Creature ’ Now I could w rite a book about if ”” I'm quite free to do anything I want,” Stensland said I can get in the costume and do anything I enjoy the job, I couldn't do it if I didn't ”ALAN STENSLAND IS THE BRAVES’BLEACHER CREATURE...he enjoys job but admits problems do exist
Newspaper Details
Fort Walton Beach Playground Daily News
Fort Walton Beach, Florida, US
Wed, Jul 19, 1978
Page 17
Full Page
Clipped by
Michael H.
USA 10 Mar 2022
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