I recently had a chance to catch up with Johnnie Vendor extraordinaire, Dick Wilke. Many thanks to Dick for taking the time. If you see “The Trickster” working an event in the Twin Cities, don’t forget to tell him that Touchdown T sent ya…
Dick Wilke at the Stiftungsfestivities getting ready for another game in Collegeville.
TDT: Dick, can you introduce yourself to Johnnie Nation?
DW: Sure thing Max. I’m Dick Wilke and I’ve been vending in the Twin Cities metro for 28 years. I’ve worked the North Stars for 12 years, the Wild, Saints baseball, Gophers football, Gophers mens and womens basketball, and SJU hockey amongst other events.
TDT: Are you a Johnnie graduate or how did you become acquainted with St. John’s?
DW: Well, I’ve been coming up to SJU football games since 1995. A few years ago, I was working the Saints game in St. Paul and ran into Tom Linnemann the quarterback on the 2000 runnerup team. Then later in the year I was at the Metrodome working the Prep Bowl and had a chance to catch up with Tom. He put me in touch with Johnnie offensive coordinator, Jim Gagliardi, who thought it’d be a good idea to sell concessions at SJU football games. Jim got ahold of the AD there, Tom Stock, who saw the potential benefits at the football games and contacted Jeff Mathiasen who is in charge of concessions out at St. John’s.
TDT: What makes vending at SJU special for you and what do you sell up and down the aisles?
DW: Well, I sell pop and water and peanuts. And we all know there is no alcohol sold in the stadium at SJU. I also sell all Coke and Pepsi products along with lemonade. As far as what makes SJU great, I just really enjoy the open air, gorgeous Clemens Stadium. The fans are warm and friendly and there is hardly a better place to be each Fall Saturday afternoon.
TDT: How many events do you work each year? Meet any celebrities?
DW: I work approximately 275-300 events a year. I also work concerts selling beer in the Twin Cities. As far as celebrities, well not too many. I did sell to Tom Brokaw at the 1985 All-Star Game at the Dome and ran into Ted Turner with Jane Fonda at the 1991 World Series, also Gregory Peck many years ago.
TDT: Tell me what a typical day is like for you when you are scheduled to work an event.
DW: Well, at SJU I usually arrive about one and a half hours early, go and search out the tailgate parties, get a vibe for the day and the game. Then, I’ll head up to see if Jeff (Mathiasen) needs any help getting ready for the day. Around Noon, they’ll be about a 1000 people in the stands. I’ll start to work the homeside, the student section, and maybe the northside of the visitors seating.
TDT: What is something that the regular Joe sportsfan doesn’t realize about your job as a vendor?
DW: It gets hectic. People don’t realize it. They are coming up and down the aisles, going up to the restrooms, it gets busy. It is an excellent workout that comes with an enormous responsibility when serving alcohol (at the events in the Twin Cities).
TDT: Do you have a nickname that fans know you by (like Wally the Beerman)?
DW: (Laughter) Yeah, about 20 years ago, Wally and a few of the guys gave me the name “The Trickster”. I was always getting the good vending rooms at the Vikings game which made it easier to get the beer and helped to increase my sales dramatically. So Wally was always giving me a hard time. Now in the summer at the Saints’ games I’ll wear a Richard Nixon mask and the fans always get a kick outta that.
TDT: Lastly, how good would beer sales be at St. John’s if you could sell that instead of water/soda?
DW: A few people have asked, but no, a lot of people don’t realize the older crowd at SJU. Beer would go well I’m sure, but I’d say there is a happy medium right now. People really seem to appreciate the convenience of me bringing them a bottle of water or peanuts instead of climbing the steps to wait in line at the concession stand.
