"Dudy Gras" Parade To Open MSU's Leftfield Lounge
STARKVILLE, Miss. - It's move-in weekend for vehicles in the popular "Leftfield Lounge" parking area at Dudy Noble Field, and this year's "first rite" of the baseball season at Mississippi State has taken on a distinct New Orleans flavoring.
The first annual "Dudy Gras" parade is set to begin at 4 p.m. Friday in Starkville, with vehicles to be parked in the outfield terrace parading from downtown Starkville to Dudy Noble Field.
MSU officials anticipate that more than half of the 80-plus trucks, trailers and other rigs set for parking in the outfield this weekend will be put in place Friday, beginning with the front row vehicles. Some vehicles will begin moving in at 1:30 p.m. Friday, but Mark "Hobie" Hobart, one of the event's organizers, is expecting to see 10 to 20 of the vehicles taking part in the event.
"We're trying to combine the excitement of Mississippi State baseball at Dudy Noble Field with a little of the color of Mardi Gras. It's a first-time event, so we really don't know how big the parade will be," said Hobart. "We're hoping that some Bulldog fans aren't actually parking a vehicle will join the other vehicles in the parade."
Vehicles will stage at the Rick's Cafe parking lot on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive beginning at 3 p.m. The parade will then move westward on old Highway 82, turn left on Washington Street, and turn left onto Main Street, winding its way to campus on University Drive and eventually to Dudy Noble Field.
"We want to encourage fans to put on some maroon and white, grab a cowbell, come out and have some fun," said Hobart. Those not in the parade are encouraged to gather at one of the downtown or Cotton District eateries along the parade route to cheer on the parade, he added.
MSU's mascot, Bully, along with members of the MSU pom squad and the MSU Diamond Girls are expected to be on hand to help distribute maroon and white "Dudy Gras" beads.
A New Orleans' styled post-parade party is set for 7 p.m. Friday at Rick's Cafe, where early revelers will be treated to free gumbo.
The outfield parking at Dudy Noble Field will be completed with second row parking Saturday beginning at 8 a.m.
The 13th-ranked Baseball Bulldogs have begun preparations for their 2006 season-opening three-game home series Feb. 24-26 against Marist College.
FIRST-PITCH BANQUET UPDATE
Ticket sales continue to climb for the ninth annual "First Pitch/Meet the Team" baseball banquet set Feb. 23 at the new Palmeiro Center on campus. Nearly 370 of the $25 banquet tickets have been sold, with MSU officials anticipating a record crowd for the 7 p.m. event. A pre-banquet autograph session has been added to this year's lineup, which also includes a formal introduction of the 2006 team by veteran MSU skipper Ron Polk and a guest speaking appearance by former MSU and Major League pitching standout Jay Powell.
MSU's 2006 baseball season ticket sales are nearing the 4,000 mark, with the MSU Athletic Ticket Office reporting the processing of orders for 3,931 tickets through February 9. Season ticket sales at MSU have surpassed the 5,000 mark the past three seasons and this year's sales could approach the school-record 5,596 mark from 2002.
MSU baseball season tickets as well as tickets for the Feb. 23 "First Pitch/Meet the Team" banquet are on sale now on campus at the Mississippi State Athletic Ticket Office (662-325-2600) in the Bryan Athletic Administration Building.