Olsen Tradition History - School Project

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Big Shooter
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11:20a, 4/1/19
Staff
AG
I'm a journalism minor at A&M and currently writing a paper cover the history of traditions at Olsen over time. I'm looking for info and some help from those of you that have been around a little longer than myself.

I'm an Olsen regular these days and have seen the different threads on here outlining all the things we do at Olsen. But what I want to know and what I want to write about is how these specific nuances came to be.

I'm most interested in possibly tracking down the history of Ball 5 as it gets the most face time on social media these days. But I'd also just want to cover the history of fan involvement at Olsen.

If you have an interesting story, remember the first time you saw something new at Olsen or even started a tradition yourself, I'd love to give you a phone call to interview you. Please send me a personal message if you'd be willing to help!

Thanks and BTHO t.u. on Tuesday!
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AgEng06
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11:48a, 4/1/19
AG
One of the biggest and oldest traditions is arguing about when/where the traditions started.

Good luck on your paper.
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denied
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11:54a, 4/1/19
Go to Cushing and watch/buy "A Sweet Season". It is the 1989 season highlight. One was also done after the '93 season, "From Olsen to Omaha." From what I understand '88 was the first season we started having consistently large crowds (it was my first and I was only 3 so I don't have any memories of it prior) and where a lot of the culture started to happen. DD Grubbs was the PA announcer at the time and was very colorful; sound effects (pretty much all of them, or variations on what he started), graphics (don't really get those anymore), fan participation can be attributed to him.

The shark chomp with the Jaws theme and a fin going back and forth on the light board used to be a bigger thing. Olympic ratings and the Olympic "theme" used to happen (~1/2 a dozen or more people in the box would hold up score cards after spectacular plays), now you just get the music. DD used to come down from the press box with the worlds longest extension cord and sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" from atop the dugouts. He also did the "Rifleman" theme. Ball Chant and "It Makes Me Feel So Good" I think started mid 90s. The 1B Coach tossing a ball, etc up to "203" started with Andy Sawyer's first season.
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Big Shooter
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In reply to denied • 11:55a, 4/1/19
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AG
Thank you for the recommendation! I will be sure to do this.
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AGGIEGMA9
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12:02p, 4/1/19
I just learned an interesting fact from long time residents of the area. When the ball is foul tipped over the 3rd base roof, the MOO sound is played. It seems the area surrounding Blue Bell was a cow field many years ago.

Patricia Brunner
6 Aggies
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denied
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In reply to AGGIEGMA9 • 12:04p, 4/1/19
Yep, west of Olsen used to be barns and pastures back in the day. Not just cows either. I think the pigs were in the vicinity of where the library is now.
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80s Guy
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In reply to denied • 12:17p, 4/1/19
denied said:
Yep, west of Olsen used to be barns and pastures back in the day. Not just cows either. I think the pigs were in the vicinity of where the library is now.


Where the main building of the library now stands was indeed the main swine farm barn.
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BQ_90
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12:43p, 4/1/19
AG
Also there was a time where you couldn't keep foul balls. So part of the fun was tormenting the Diamond Darlings making them chase down who had the ball in the stands. You might even get them to dance or do skit to get the ball back. For the their job used to be no so much fun.

Another thing to me that grew the fun at Olsen was we normally played double headers on Saturday. So they would clear the stands between games. So you had 2 land rushes to get to seats on the 1st base side.
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histag10
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12:49p, 4/1/19
AG
Just an FYI - you cant receive personal/direct messages without stars
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Big Shooter
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In reply to histag10 • 1:20p, 4/1/19
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AG
Well that's upsetting...
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Big Shooter
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In reply to BQ_90 • 1:21p, 4/1/19
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I heard a personal favorite back in the day was to get them to do the "I'm a little teapot" dance and that's why they got the nickname Teapots.

I did not know about the multiple land rushes though. That's pretty funny.
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twk
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In reply to BQ_90 • 2:17p, 4/1/19
AG
BQ_90 said:
Another thing to me that grew the fun at Olsen was we normally played double headers on Saturday. So they would clear the stands between games. So you had 2 land rushes to get to seats on the 1st base side.
That was not a normal occurrence--only as the result of a rainout. Every Saturday was a doubleheader up until the early 90s, and it was a single ticket event. They would usually have some kind of between games entertainment.
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BQ_90
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In reply to twk • 5:28p, 4/1/19
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twk said:
BQ_90 said:
Another thing to me that grew the fun at Olsen was we normally played double headers on Saturday. So they would clear the stands between games. So you had 2 land rushes to get to seats on the 1st base side.
That was not a normal occurrence--only as the result of a rainout. Every Saturday was a doubleheader up until the early 90s, and it was a single ticket event. They would usually have some kind of between games entertainment.
it was normal for me being class of 1990
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twk
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In reply to BQ_90 • 5:44p, 4/1/19
AG
When you were in school (I'm from the same era), we played a single game on Friday, and doubleheaders on Saturday. Except for the day/night doubleheader with t.u. in '89 (the result of a rainout on Saturday, in what, unique for the time, was schedule to be a series played over 3 days, as they are now), all doubleheaders were scheduled as one ticket. The between game entertainment wasn't an every time occurrence (particularly early in the year), but they had things like the Aggie Wranglers and the Fish Drill Team.

Besides: prior to '89, there were no crowds to speak of. You could walk up 15 minutes before game time and sit wherever you liked.
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Mike88
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8:18p, 4/1/19
AG
D.D. Grubbs wrote a book called "No Gold Watch". It is a good read and covers a lot of the "history".
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Bullpen Chias
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In reply to Mike88 • 11:22p, 4/1/19
AG
DD is at UTA now. Call the athletic department and ask him for a few minutes. He will oblige.

A few more things: We would bring extra baseballs into the game with us. When the Diamond Darlings would come to retrieve the baseball, about a dozen people would hold one up.

In the early 90s, if you turned in a baseball you were entered into a raffle for a prize. I got several one year and won the prize - Aggie Justin Ropers.

I also once participated in an apple pie eating contest on the field during a TCU Doubleheader.

The Raggies used to count the warm up swings on some batters and even add some commentary on the player's appearance or heritage. That stopped at some point.

First Base Coach Bill Hickey would run to the coaching box and he was saluted by the fans with "Give em hell Bill!!"

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Roger Metzger
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4:57a, 4/2/19
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"Give em hell, Bill" is one of my favorite lines of all time. To me it says it all about old school Olsen.
Good night, Irene.
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Hop
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6:44a, 4/2/19
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I have VHS copies of Sweet Season (1989) and the less popular one from 1993 if anybody wants to digitize them.

In 1988, we hosted national power Oklahoma State on a mid-week date and we got the rare ESPN national broadcast. Being on national TV then was a big deal. Huge game and it was packed. The hardcore Raggies all went out and rented tuxedos for the game.

1989 certainly made Aggie baseball mainstream and took it to a new level, but the culture started earlier than 1989. DD Grubbs really helped start it. The things he did that seem standard now we're cutting edge back then. He was there throughout the 1980's and left in the early 1990's after a dispute w Dave South who was his boss at the time. Between games of a doubleheader one time, he performed "I Wish They All Could Be Texas Aggie Girls" on the field with Diamond Darlings as his back-up singers and dancers. He recorded it and played it regularly for a few seasons.

They used to have some mid-week twi-night doubleheader's in the mid-to-late 1980's that would start at 5:30. Crazy things happened after midnight with only 300 students in the stands.
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jkag89
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7:21a, 4/2/19
Not the best quality but a digitized version of "A Sweet Season" available for download here.
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ensign_beedrill
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In reply to Hop • 8:58a, 4/2/19
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Hop said:
In 1988, we hosted national power Oklahoma State on a mid-week date and we got the rare ESPN national broadcast. Being on national TV then was a big deal. Huge game and it was packed. The hardcore Raggies all went out and rented tuxedos for the game.
That's awesome.
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Joe Schillaci 48
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11:21a, 4/3/19
AG
You have to try to find "George". He was a grad student.

He was great.

Perhaps D D knows where to contact him.

But you need to contact Derrick ( D D) at UT Arlington.


EDIT...You also need to try to find Cookie from North Carolina. They were here for a Regional and the fans were ripping him unmercifully. He began to play along and before the tournament was over, he was a crown favorite.
He was a little overweight and fans were dangling hot dogs over the dugout. He grabbed it and ate it.

He also played football for the Tarheels and he and Dave South met up the next Fall when we played them in football.

I am sure Dave could tell you the story.

No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional sports advice.
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Joe Schillaci 48
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In reply to AGGIEGMA9 • 11:32a, 4/3/19
AG
AGGIEGMA9 said:
I just learned an interesting fact from long time residents of the area. When the ball is foul tipped over the 3rd base roof, the MOO sound is played. It seems the area surrounding Blue Bell was a cow field many years ago.

Patricia Brunner
You are correct. Before Blue Bell was built, the location was a rodeo stadium.

The baseball field was where the indoor football complex is now. I never saw it but there was a story about a home run bounced off the Kyle Field stands.
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional sports advice.
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Bullpen Chias
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In reply to Joe Schillaci 48 • 11:35a, 4/3/19
AG
I was 100% with you until the part about us playing them in football. That didn't happen.

pepe the dog said:
You have to try to find "George". He was a grad student.

He was great.

Perhaps D D knows where to contact him.

But you need to contact Derrick ( D D) at UT Arlington.


EDIT...You also need to try to find Cookie from North Carolina. They were here for a Regional and the fans were ripping him unmercifully. He began to play along and before the tournament was over, he was a crown favorite.
He was a little overweight and fans were dangling hot dogs over the dugout. He grabbed it and ate it.

He also played football for the Tarheels and he and Dave South met up the next Fall when we played them in football.

I am sure Dave could tell you the story.

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jc97
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In reply to BQ_90 • 12:28p, 4/3/19
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BQ_90 said:
Also there was a time where you couldn't keep foul balls. So part of the fun was tormenting the Diamond Darlings making them chase down who had the ball in the stands. You might even get them to dance or do skit to get the ball back. For the their job used to be no so much fun.

Another thing to me that grew the fun at Olsen was we normally played double headers on Saturday. So they would clear the stands between games. So you had 2 land rushes to get to seats on the 1st base side.


Yeah - my time 93-96 seasons, you couldn't keep foul balls.

I remember it was a huge deal the final game of the 1995 season because it was the final SWC game, so you could keep foul balls.

Otherwise a Diamond Darling would come up, and you'd try to act like you didn't have it, but all your friends would point at you and rat you out. Then you'd try to get the DD to sing "I'm a little teapot" in exchange for the ball.

I think most of those seasons you got a coupon for a free movie rental when you returned the ball. (Kids today probably don't even know what a movie rental is).


And the double headers with Freebirds burrito in between.
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FriscoKid
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In reply to jc97 • 12:43p, 4/3/19
AG
jc97 said:
BQ_90 said:
Also there was a time where you couldn't keep foul balls. So part of the fun was tormenting the Diamond Darlings making them chase down who had the ball in the stands. You might even get them to dance or do skit to get the ball back. For the their job used to be no so much fun.

Another thing to me that grew the fun at Olsen was we normally played double headers on Saturday. So they would clear the stands between games. So you had 2 land rushes to get to seats on the 1st base side.


Yeah - my time 93-96 seasons, you couldn't keep foul balls.

I remember it was a huge deal the final game of the 1995 season because it was the final SWC game, so you could keep foul balls.

Otherwise a Diamond Darling would come up, and you'd try to act like you didn't have it, but all your friends would point at you and rat you out. Then you'd try to get the DD to sing "I'm a little teapot" in exchange for the ball.

I think most of those seasons you got a coupon for a free movie rental when you returned the ball. (Kids today probably don't even know what a movie rental is).


And the double headers with Freebirds burrito in between.
I actually found a Big 12 game ball on the tracks and kept it. I felt like I had stolen a great prize since we couldn't keep the fouls.
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ExpressAg11
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In reply to Mike88 • 4:22p, 4/3/19
AG
I worked with DD at the Round Rock Express a few years back. Getting to be in the booth and work with him during Express games and see him in action was awesome. He's such a cool guy and sitting around hearing him tell stories about his days at Olsen Field were always interesting.
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histag10
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In reply to Hop • 4:32p, 4/3/19
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Hop said:
I have VHS copies of Sweet Season (1989) and the less popular one from 1993 if anybody wants to digitize them.

In 1988, we hosted national power Oklahoma State on a mid-week date and we got the rare ESPN national broadcast. Being on national TV then was a big deal. Huge game and it was packed. The hardcore Raggies all went out and rented tuxedos for the game.

1989 certainly made Aggie baseball mainstream and took it to a new level, but the culture started earlier than 1989. DD Grubbs really helped start it. The things he did that seem standard now we're cutting edge back then. He was there throughout the 1980's and left in the early 1990's after a dispute w Dave South who was his boss at the time. Between games of a doubleheader one time, he performed "I Wish They All Could Be Texas Aggie Girls" on the field with Diamond Darlings as his back-up singers and dancers. He recorded it and played it regularly for a few seasons.

They used to have some mid-week twi-night doubleheader's in the mid-to-late 1980's that would start at 5:30. Crazy things happened after midnight with only 300 students in the stands.


I believe these have been digitized by Cushing Library, and if they aren't, then I put in years of work for nothing (I digitized all old media baseball & football games when i worked there)
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spieg12
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In reply to Bullpen Chias • 11:17p, 4/3/19
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Quote:
The Raggies used to count the warm up swings on some batters and even add some commentary on the player's appearance or heritage. That stopped at some point.

First Base Coach Bill Hickey would run to the coaching box and he was saluted by the fans with "Give em hell Bill!!"


All of this still happens. We count swings and say wiggle every time they wiggle the bat around on their shoulder and yell swing when the pitch comes.

Right now its "Give em hell Christy!" every bottom half of an inning since that's first base coach Jeff Christy's last name and he hasn't earned a nickname yet.

We also salute whoever is playing first base for the Ags before the start of the first inning.
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Bullpen Chias
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In reply to spieg12 • 11:31p, 4/3/19
AG
Ya need George then. Hearing none of this on the lower level.
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ensign_beedrill
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In reply to Bullpen Chias • 9:02a, 4/4/19
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I can hear it from the opposite side of the stadium.
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$240 Worth of Pudding
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11:53a, 4/4/19
AG
LET JAIME PITCH! LET JAIME PITCH!

Who remembers that and other very, VERY good bull from the '99 regional? Jaime even came out and tipped his cap to the Raggies after we ousted them in the championship game.

I have SO many incredible memories of Aggie baseball in the 90's. From a wide-eyed fish in '92/'93 watching the team get to Omaha to working with Leo and the athletic field staff as a student worker my last year as a student. It was a very special time.
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TempleAg97
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1:40p, 4/5/19
AG
Wow, this thread is an awesome trip down memory lane! "Let Jaime Pitch" Long Beach State was a special weekend all the way around.

You have to include odd events like the 1993 Yale regional game that STARTED after midnight. I was there with my dad just a few months before I started A&M.

And how about mundane things like the greatness of 25 cent hot dog night. I remember big cans of chili being brought in and passed up and down the aisle until it ran out.

The fires so big in Aggie alley that the smoke would sometimes obscure the field.

So many great games, weekends, regionals. God, I love Aggie baseball!!!
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Big Shooter
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3:58p, 4/5/19
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AG
Does anyone have a link to the renovation survey the 12th Man Foundation send out last year?
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Bullpen Chias
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In reply to Big Shooter • 10:19p, 4/5/19
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Tracked down the email. The survey was sent 9/26/17. The link for the survey is no longer active. You may need to find someone who took screen shots. Good luck.
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Gator92
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5:33p, 4/7/19
AG
89 tu series and John Byington hitting the walk off HR's has to be one of the best memories at Olsen. ESPN televised the Sat night game and I was standing on the tracks drinking beer. Remember they had a TV camera suspended from a crane in center field. Camera panned to the tracks and some of my buddies were at the Chicken and saw us holding up our beers for the camera. I'm guessing 9/11 had something to do with them shutting down the tracks, but they might have shut that down before. Everyone would put coins on the track for the train to flatten. I still have a quarter flattened from that night.
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