The PGA Tour rolled into Wisconsin for a week of posturing and such during the dog daze of summer back in the year 2000. As a long-running event, the Milwaukee Open has a raucous rep and becomes quite the scene when the weekend rolls around, serving up the finest fried pork chop sandwich in the Midwest. But, since it’s still just Milwookee, the designated watering hole for loopers was the local bowling alley, certainly far from our most glamorous hour, but hey, it was hot and humid, what’s a brother to do?
So, it was at this bowlorama way back then, that the only space in time occurred when/where I can recall actually planning to watch an athletic event in which females participated – a soccer game, at that (you know the one – Mia Hamm was all the craze as the media darling, but Brandi Chastain slid in and stole the show after scoring the game-winning goal).
Since we did not make the cut, again, I had some free time that Saturday afternoon to check it out. And other than the occasional UConn women’s basketball game and a few Olympic events here and there, I didn’t have much experience when it came to any sort of real, game-time with women playing sports – nada, zip, zero.
Even though I somehow managed to squeeze in around 200 live Razorback events, 111 Widespread Panic concerts and much, much more, I still got nothing, when it comes to female athletics, even the Razorbacks.
Shameful.
That’s tough to type. Considering all the hours and energy I’ve spent traveling, listening and watching the Hogs play baseball, basketball and football, this is just downright shamefully dirty business on Hall Closets behalf.
So, in an attempt to remedy that, a few of us gathered out at the Airport Rd. Razorback Rendezvous and Dart Barn on Saturday to bask in the light of the ladies of the Arkansas Softball team and root them on in the rubber match of their Super Regional series versus Ole Miss.
‘Tis blasphemous, really, that outta nearly half-a-century of intense fandom, that I can’t…
But I digress.
The dark skies parted around 3:30, and at 4:20 the umpire yelled “Play Ball!” at Bogle Park.
The Rebels reeled off four runs in the top half of the opening inning, thanks to some creatively aggressive base running and a big fly by Lair Beautae. Arkansas rallied with four runs of its own but could not hold off the visitors, failing, yet again, to get their ticket punched for Oklahoma City and the Softball World Series, despite, perhaps, completing the most successful season in the program’s history.
During the game, I finally felt the bated breath of the entire state of Arkansas being collectively held and then released in a loud, resonating Hog call in honor of Arkansas Softball. And it felt good!
The only thing missing (besides a Sunday column in the state’s lone daily newspaper by the only elf sports editor in the land about the event) was Dave Van Horn’s team attendance. Seems like impelling them to go support their diamond sisters on campus for a few hours on a beautiful spring afternoon woulda been a no brainer and great for morale. They only play seven innings. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves for crying aloud. It’s only 2025.
Speaking of baseball – Arkansas, along with seven other teams from the mighty, mighty SEC, will host a Regional series starting this Friday. The Razorbacks welcome Kansas, Creighton and N. Dakota State to Fayettenam in the first round of regional play starting on Friday, looking to advance and host a Super Regional again the following weekend.
Perhaps Courtney Deifel and her squad will show up and lead by example.
WooPig!!