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A “How to” Guide for Texas A&M Baseball Traditions

By Matthew Bartlett

Aug 7, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; A general view of a baseball and glove prior to a game between the Kansas City Royals and the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 7, 2015; Kansas City, MO, USA; A general view of a baseball and glove prior to a game between the Kansas City Royals and the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports /
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Didn’t grow up a Texas A&M Baseball fan? Has the offseason been too long? Here’s a refresher for the diehards and the new fans. Consider this your “how to” Aggie baseball guide.

Ball 5

The baseball world was introduced to one of the best Aggie baseball traditions during last year’s Super Regional against TCU. Following a pitcher’s fourth consecutive ball, helpful Aggies help him remember just how many consecutive non-strikes he has thrown by counting them aloud. More than once a struggling pitcher has exceeded ten digits. At that point it’s up to your discretion as to how to count ball nine and beyond.

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Count the Engines

I haven’t been to all the ballparks around the country, but I’d wager that not many have functional train tracks beyond the right field fence. It’s not uncommon to hear a whistle midway through the second inning and see hands shoot up into the air in the stands. Aggie fans attempt to guess the number of engines on the incoming train. Two or three is a safe bet, but the brave throw up four or five fingers.

Heckling the Pitcher

The traditional bugle call is not unique to Texas A&M or to Olsen Field. That doesn’t mean that the Aggies haven’t put their own flair on the baseball staple. Rather than respond with “Charge”, the crowd will cheer the pitcher’s first name. It starts with the name. Since the dawning of Facebook and Twitter, pitchers with public profiles will often find the more daring fans have done their homework. Social organizations, girlfriend’s names, and last weekend’s trip to the river all find a way of being brought up by the fans.

The Olympic Theme

Depending on the quality of the contests, Aggie fans can go days or even weeks in between hearing the Olympic theme through the speakers at Olsen Field. The fanfare is reserved for the most spectacular defensive plays. If it’s worthy of a SportsCenter Top 10 nomination, you’ll hear the trumpets blaring. When the theme begins to play, fans take to their feet and rate the play on a scale from one to 10 with hands in the air.