No Donovans, lots of waffles, at Miracle game

By Glenn Miler
Fort Myers News Press

Neither Billy Donovan appeared at "Billy Donovan Night" on Wednesday night.

Not the famous University of Florida basketball coach. And not the other Billy Donovan, the Fort Myers resident who was invited to throw out the ceremonial opening pitch at the Lee County Sports Complex before the Fort Myers Miracle played the Tampa Yankees.

It was all — except for the unexpected absence of the local Donovan — part of the planned Miracle promotion that earned the Florida State League team national attention. It was mentioned on ESPN Radio's "Mike and Mike in the Morning." It earned blurbs on espn.com and si.com.

The premise? The basketball coach left Florida to become the coach of the NBA's Orlando Magic for $27.5 million over five years but changed his mind and got out of his contract and returned to Gainesville. The Miracle gently lampooned Donovan's change of mind.

Any of the 1,500 or so fans wishing to leave the ballpark from the third inning on could negotiate a release from his or her ticket. The Miracle stationed Fort Myers attorney Michael Hornung at a table just inside the front gate to handle negotiations.

The negotiations began in the fourth inning. The first fan to haggle his way out wore a Magic jersey. His name is Dick Kennedy. The 62-year-old retired teacher was happy when Donovan signed on to coach the Magic. Then?

"I was really disappointed," Kennedy said.

He didn't leave the park empty-handed. Hornung handed him a CD collection of oldies songs that Kennedy liked.

By 8:30 p.m., nearly 90 minutes after game time, only one fan had left.

"It just shows the product," Hornung said. "They can't complain. Almost 100 percent satisfaction."

A few minutes later, Fort Myers attorney Gina Fishman, 25, stopped by Hornung's chambers/office/table. Fishman, like most attorneys, did not represent herself. Her attorney for the big get-out-of-ballpark case was Spencer Cordell.

"She has another commitment," Cordell said.

The commitment was a recreation league softball game across the parking lot.

Hornung and Cordell chatted pleasantly.

"Let me confer with my client," Cordell said to Hornung at one point.

Cordell not only made her softball game but left with eight tickets for another game.

As Wednesday's 7:05 p.m. game time approached, Miracle promotion wizards grew worried. Their Billy Donovan, an unemployed, or so they thought, former waiter and construction worker from Yonkers, N.Y., was nowhere to be seen.

Shortly before game time, they heard the news. Assistant General Manager Andrew Seymour was standing in front of the third-base dugout holding a walkie-talkie when the news came crackling over his handheld device.

"He got a job somewhere in Bonita," Miracle publicity director Gary Sharp told Seymour.

No Billy Donovan first pitch.

Instead, 9-year-old Nicholas Kelly threw out one pitch and a Miracle staffer named Chris Peters, 24, threw out another.

The rest of the night went more or less as planned.

Free Eggo waffles, symbolic of Donovan's change of heart, were offered. No limit on number per customers.

"How many stadiums can you go to and get free waffles?" said 19-year-old Miracle intern Brennan Whitley, who was wearing a chef's hat and manning the waffle station.

Only the Lee County Sports Complex on Wednesday. No Billy Donovans but plenty of waffles.