A Home Field Advantage Steeped in Barley, Dogs, and Long Johns

By: Jesse Pereira

There are few settings that can match the biting cold of an early-season night-game at Baggett Stadium on the Cal Poly Campus. Sure Alaska or Antarctica are colder on paper, but its all about expectation. In perpetually comfortable San Luis Obispo, where average temperatures hover in the 65-75 degree range, there is nothing more jarring than wearing flip-flops all day only to spend the evening wrapped in a thick blanket while wearing long johns under your pants.

Cal Poly Fans in Krukow's Klubhouse get free food and drinks and a great view of the game. Photo by Jamie Pereira

Fortunately, they sell beer sweaters in Krukow’s Klubhouse.

For the unintiated, Krukow’s is named after former Giants player and Cal Poly alum Mike Krukow. Guarded by a lone student in a yellow parka, it is the Hometown Buffett of collegiate baseball.

Once the game starts, Mike Krukow’s legacy — beyond an above average MLB career and a notable broadcasting career — is unlimited beer and hot dogs for seven innings in a separated area above the Cal Poly dugout adjacent to third base. This creates a game within a game.

For some intrepid Krukow’s patrons, a challenge can be to keep pace with the game by finishing a beer and hot dog before the next inning begins. Only one person I know of has come close, getting to 6×6.

The rumor is that he did not have a pleasant evening after the game. We at Fansmanship definitely do not support this type of overindulgence.

The combination of unlimited beer and ridiculously cold winds ferments a certain comraderie among fans. Cal Poly baseball fans are a tepid group, especially when it’s cold . Chanting, or waving, or anything that requires cooperation is something you are not likely to experience when fans are attempting to conserve whatever body heat they have remaining. While the Atlanta Braves have the Tomahawk Chop chanting thing, the Mustangs Baseball team last Saturday had… the scattered golf clap?

No matter the weather though, Mustangs fans — particularly those in Krukows — do excel in heckling.

I stongly believe, with little empirical evidence to back it up, that visiting third baseman consistently struggle at Baggett Stadium because of their proximity to Krukow’s. Tommy Mendonca, currently toiling away in the Texas Rangers system, made at least three errors when Fresno state visited Baggett during his college days. This included a game-losing throwing error on a ball he sailed into right field.

Cal Poly split the doubleheader last Saturday with Tony Gwynn-coached San Diego State. Photo by Jamie Pereira

Ryan Muno, third baseman for San Diego State, made the only error for his team in the first half of the double header on Sunday, March 24th. He was replaced by Steven Pallares late in that game and in the night cap. I attended the night cap and was fortunate enough to hear some of the heckles coming from Krukow’s.

After Pallares first error: “Thats why you don’t eat a stick of butter before the game!” Followed by “You’re fat, 6!” Maybe wearing the number 6 is slimming, like vertical stripes – Pallares looks like he weighs maybe 160. I think the insult was meant to be ironic.

After his second error, the heckling intensified. Perhaps in an effort to quiet the hot-dog filled beer drinking crowd, Pallares bare handed a foul ball. Definately a difficult feat on sharply hit ball. Except since it doesn’t count, thats all it is: a feat.

“Maybe the glove is the problem!”

Pallares was replaced in the next inning.

All told, Aztec third basemen went 1 for 7 with 3 strikeouts as the Mustangs swept the Aztecs in the Saturday doubleheader.

And, if you ask me, the San Diego State third basemen were happy to get away from the roped off area behind the Cal Poly dugout

So if you want a unique college baseball experience, bring your long johns and join the crew at Krukows for some beer and heckling . . . and be glad you’re not a visiting third baseman.

Jesse Pereira is a contributor to fansmanship.com, especially in matters related to baseball and fantasy baseball. 

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