Old Man Has Been Selling Peanuts for 50 Years. When He Walks into Garage, Heart Drops
For years, a well-recognized gentleman has been selling peanuts at Comerica Park. This open-air venue has served as a home to the Detroit Tigers since 2000, when it replaced Tiger Stadium.
Major Brooks had actually been attaching his peanut cart to a regular bicycle for almost four decades. But as he continued to age, he realized a moped would make it easier to tow the cart and satisfy the snack cravings of loyal area baseball fans.
Marshall Symons, owner of Motor City Pedicab, keeps his vehicles in the same parking garage where 74-year-old Brooks stores his moped. One day, Symons came across Brooks looking utterly dejected.
The older man reported that someone had apparently stolen his moped. He’d searched the garage, and it was absolutely nowhere to be found.
Symons noted on social media that this kindly gentleman had nobody to help him recover the motorized bike. He even recalled saying that someone should, perhaps, launch a fundraiser.
Then Symons realized that he himself might actually be that someone. That’s when he decided to start an official GoFundMe campaign.
“Without my moped,” explained Brooks in the GoFundMe YouTube video, “I can’t do too much business.” Symons evidently felt that the ballpark simply wouldn’t be the same without Brooks and his trusty peanut cart.
“I am organizing this campaign on behalf of Major Brooks, The Peanut Man,” announced Symons’ touching online tribute. “I am hoping that the Tigers community will rally around him and help get him rolling again.”
Symons went on to proclaim that hard-working individuals like Brooks represent the steadfast, resilient backbone of Detroit. “I have put up $100 towards this and others have matched me,” challenged Symons, adding “Eat ’em up, TIGERS!”
Generous Tigers fans stirringly showed their stripes, and proudly rose to the occasion. In the end, approximately $2,155 was swiftly raised to buy a new moped for Brooks.
Thanks to Symons and the dedicated Tigers community, a nostalgic tradition of nearly 50 years continues to motor on. Fans of all ages still buy this traditional game-time snack from a familiar ballpark peanut cart — and Brooks has been assured that this is the only repayment necessary.
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