CLEARFIELD – “Grape … One girl going ape over grape.”
“Flash ’em, I’ll cash ’em.”
The calls are as familiar to Clearfield County Fairgoers as the smell of the food stands and the screams of delight coming from the midway.
The sayings, one for each of the many colors on the Fat Albert wheel rainbow, come from Bob Dombroski, keeper of the game.
Dombroski hails from Fort Lauderdale now but has roots in several areas of Pennsylvania including Hazleton, Latrobe and Juniata, and each year he brings what some call “the best” prizes to the fair.
From Steelers teddy bears that Dombroski has been told retail for $40 at the stadium to plastic horns that dads threaten to hide once the kids go to bed, those at the fair will find the stand on the midway, likely ringed by two layers of people waiting to find out if a little white rat will hear the bell and pop out of a metal cup to run to the hole they have chosen.
It’s that simple premise, put a quarter on a color and hope Fat Albert runs to that hue, that Dombroski said has kept people coming back for the 46 years he has been ringing the bell.
In Clearfield, Dombroski has been bringing smiles to kids — young and old — for more than 30 years.
“I enjoy it out here,” he said of Clearfield County. “I like the people here.”
For the Fat Alberts, it’s a relatively short stint being the one in the big wheel. After about two months, they become too fat to accomplish the feat any longer. Some of the “Alberts” are adopted at fairs, but Dombroski said he ensures that the animals will be well cared for.
“Red. Right in front of your little head. Blue. It could have been you.”
Listen for the calls and pull out a couple of quarters to to try it yourself.
As for which color to choose, Dombroski said the rats are the ones to ask.
“Hey, hey, hey. Gotta play, gotta play, gotta play.”
Coverage of the Clearfield County Fair on GantDaily is brought to you by: Strattan Automotive in Clearfield and Miller Brothers Furniture in Falls Creek.