SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – On almost every day of the year, there is an unwritten code that Boston Red Sox fans may not root for the New York Yankees and vice versa. But there are some exceptions. For John Shahin, owner of the Saltine Warrior Sports Pub on Water Street, today was almost one of those exceptions.
“Even being a Red Sox fan, for business, sure, they’re always good for business,” said Shahin.
That’s because if the Yankees were playing in Game One of the World Series tonight, his bar would be much busier.
“The World Series is big only if the New York Yankees are in it,” said Shahin. ” Or the Boston Red Sox. Those are upstate New York’s two favorite teams.”
Unfortunately for Shahin, the Yankees lost the American League Championship Series to the Houston Astros, who will be the team facing the Washington Nationals in Game One tonight, but that hasn’t prevented him from seizing on the opportunity to use the Fall Classic to his advantage.
“Tonight, we’re gonna be doing 20 wings and a pitcher of Bud Light for $20,” Shahin said. “Then the refills of Bud Light are $10. Then probably halfway through the game we’ll give out some free pizza.”
Also working in his favor is a series that projects to have some of the greatest pitching matchups of all time, starting with game one, which features two Cy Young hopefuls in Gerrit Cole and Max Scherzer.
“If those two guys do get matched up, we’ll do something with a special for a no-hitter,” said Shahin. “Come in the Saltine Warrior. Watch no-hit baseball. Maybe win a free drink, free pizza for the no-hitter.”
Another pitcher in this series Shahin expects to play a role is Nationals starter Patrick Corbin. While Corbin may be the third best pitcher for Washington, his allure comes from the fact that he grew up in Cicero and attended Cicero-North Syracuse High School.
“You got a local boy in the World Series, so you never know what to expect with the crowds,” said Shahin. “I think Corbin will be a big draw and we’re rooting for him.”
Regardless of the turnout though, Shahin is still a baseball fan at heart, and there’s nothing he’d like better than a good game to watch.
“My hope for tonight would be to just have a great game,” said Shahin. “I’d like to see a good pitchers duel, go seven, eight innings of no-hit ball on both sides, that would be fantastic! That would be great!”
If you play the numbers, Shahin should get his wish. As for his prediction for the series, Shahin is going with the local boy Corbin and the Nationals in seven.
