A Bloomville man said he is expecting his second great moment of the week to happen today.
Peter Mauer, 39, of Bloomville, won $75,000 when he was called by World Wrestling Entertainment chairman of the board Vince McMahon during Monday's television broadcast of "Monday Night Raw." The show is broadcast in this area from 9 to 11 p.m. on USA Network.
But Mauer said it will only be the second-most exciting thing this week. His wife, Carrie, is scheduled to give birth today to their first son, William, by Cesarean section.
Mauer said this was the second time he entered McMahon's Million Dollar Mania, once for each week of the contest. During the weekly drawings for $1 million in prize money, McMahon chooses eight winners from those who know the password or phrase. This week, it was "Watch Raw and Win," Mauer said.
"It's a godsend," Mauer said about the prize, which he will probably use to pay family bills. With a new baby, he said, it was especially timely.
"I read about stuff like this in the papers," he said. "I never thought it could happen to me.
"It blew my mind when I heard them calling me (during the show)," he added. "I picked it up and it was Vince McMahon." When he learned the prize was $75,000, "I was so excited, I said, Holy mackerel.'"
He has been a wrestling fan nearly all his life, he said.
"I honestly did not believe it when they called (at first)," said Carrie Mauer, who was watching with her husband when the call came. But when she saw his name on the television, she realized, "It's happening."
She became a WWE fan about a year ago, thanks to her husband, she said. "You never know what to expect."
She is planning on nothing but rest Thursday, she said. The couple already have two girls.
After Peter Mauer won the prize, at about 10:30 p.m., friends and co-workers from Covidien called for the next two hours to offer their congratulations, he said.
A spokesman for WWE could not be reached by phone Tuesday, but a publicity representative said the prize amounts vary based on what McMahon feels will make for an interesting show.
Awards during the recent show ranged from $16 to $300,000, according to a media release. The money, which comes from McMahon, will be awarded as long as he wants to continue the experiment, the representative said.
