Editor’s note: While Mississippi State’s 2015 baseball season fell short of its promise, loyal fans are in for the long haul. Dispatch photographer Mark Wilson was on hand for the final game, taking in the action and the aura of Bulldog ball and Left Field Lounge.
A moan rose from the Bulldog faithful attending Mississippi State’s final home baseball game versus the LSU Tigers at historic Dudy Noble Field on May 2.
The Bulldogs held a 7-4 lead heading into the ninth inning when things began to unravel. The top-ranked Tigers came back to tie the slugfest and silence the fans with three runs, all with two outs.
The once-raucous crowd grew tense, fearing that the final glimpse of their Boys of Summer would be one of a heartbreaking defeat. Fans in the bleachers settled in for extra innings by throwing more brats and burgers on the grill while eagerly and loudly (“More cowbell, please”) rooting their team on. Several innings of scoreless ball ensued, but they held on to their Bulldog pride. And then, in the bottom half of the 12th inning, their faith was rewarded.
With one out, Jake Vickerson doubled down the right field line setting the stage for Seth Heck, who promptly singled him home, setting off a wild celebration on the field and in the stands. A satisfying end to an otherwise disappointing season that had shown such promise at the beginning of the year.
Dudy Noble Field’s history and ambiance are well-known to Mississippi State fans, but to first-time visitors the quirky, rustic nature of the Left Field Lounge and the rest of the outfield bleachers is undeniable, causing one to explore beyond the game — from the old, abandoned vehicles scattered about without rhyme or reason that provide support for the bleachers, to the vistas provided by the Redneck Skybox and the Lounge itself. To the aroma from multiple barbecues and the offerings of kebabs, burgers and brats from friendly strangers. And to learn of the many major league ballplayers that have graced the maroon and white including hitting great Rafael Palmeiro, who clobbered 569 home runs in “The Show,” and current Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher Jonathan Papelbon, who won a World Series ring with the Boston Red Sox in 2007.
MSU baseball has had a lasting legacy as well, with nine College World Series appearances, finishing second in the tournament in 2013. And Bulldog fans attend in record numbers. Dudy Noble has been named the number one place to watch college baseball by Sports Illustrated, and the Left Field Lounge was given the distinction of being rated by ESPN Magazine as the country’s best tailgating experience.
During the game most fans were unconcerned about the stadium’s history, but when pressed some of the older members of the crowd were more than happy to share their own memories. Sammy Willcutt, who played basketball for the Bulldogs in the early ’70s and considers himself one of the original bleacher dwellers, was concerned over stadium renovation talk.
“They need to keep the Left Field Lounge as it is,” he said. “There’s nothing else like it in baseball.”
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