Joliet, Illinois - Muffler Man - Left Field Louie

Approximately one year ago, Peter Ferro purchased a Muffler Man from a businessman in Ham Lake, Minnesota. Mr. Ferro owns the Joliet JackHammers Professional Minor League Baseball Team (Northern League) in Joliet, Illinois. Mr. Ferro had the Muffler Man brought here (on a snowmobile flatbed -- and open all the way from Minnesota -- they got quite a few stares). The Muffler Man has been totally refurbished and is now "Left Field Louie," named selected from 2003 baseball fan submissions. He is on display at Silver Cross Field in Joliet, Illinois, home of the Joliet JackHammers. [Helen Marchbank, 06/29/2004]

[RA: After every home run, Louie "emits the smoke and sound of a jackhammer, complemented by strobes and spotlighting."]

I grew up a fan of the muffler man (space man) at the Launching Pad restaurant in Wilmington, Illinois, and I am happy to find them when I travel. During my most recent visit home to Joliet, Illinois, I found this guy at Silver Cross Field, home of the Joliet Jackhammers baseball team. I believe he is a modified muffler man with his palm-up hand turned over to accommodate the jackhammer. [John Q., 06/10/2004]

[RA: John Q. runs a "Starsky and Hutch" Gran Torino web site -- starskytorino.com -- featuring over 165 of the 1,000 cars that Ford created in 1976. ]

A photo of the pale Ham Lake Muffler Man -- clutching a muffler, taken October 30, 2000. [Brad Schmid, 11/10/2000]

[RA: Update 5/2003: De-zoned, sold by owner to town of Joliet, Illinois for $10,000.]

There is a Muffler Man stationed on Hwy. 65, 30-45 minutes north of Minneapolis. His skin tone is unnaturally pale. Is this due to weathering or do all MMs look like this? I should add that the Isanti Muffler Man is neither a Cowboy nor Indian nor Alfred E. Neuman. He is actually hefting a muffler outside a muffler shop. [David Prill, 11/24/1996]