Dads in loud duds, rituals add spark

By Clay Ihlo and
Rachel Roeten
Staff Writers

At first, it was just a way to embarrass their daughters — all pitchers for the Patriots softball team.
Their gaudy Hawaiian shirts certainly made the group stand out.

Allison Hurt records the out at first base as a crowd of Patriot dads in loud shirts urge the team on during the first game of the World Series between the Patriots and Gustavas Adolphus College (Minn.). Talon Photo by Clay Ihlo

But when someone realized the women won when the dad’s wore their special shirts, a superstition tradition was born.

At every game, no matter the weather, there stood Ricky Harrington, Hank Bailey, Kevin Scruggs and Mark Shepherd in their bright red, blue shirts adorned with huge white flowers.

Embarrassed or not, their daughters played on because the dad’s follow them to every game, regular season or playoffs.

Even if it meant going 1,505 miles to Montclair, N.J. to see their daughters play in the NCAA Div. III Softball World Series at Montclair State University, they were not about to miss this event.

As it turns out, the superstitious rituals weren’t limited to the bleachers.

In the dugout, players routinely do whatever they can to assist the defense, even though it may seem odd or pointless to the fans in the stands.
In the Patriots dugout, this ritual is known as “passing the ball.”

The phrase refers to the practice of holding a softball on a player’s fingertips and then passing it to the next person the same way.
Before each defensive half-inning, a ball is thrown around the infield.

Once the inning begins, the ball is given to junior Megan Hutson.

Hutson holds the ball with only her fingertips as if it is a trophy ball on a stand.

Efforts are made to hold the ball as long as her good luck will allow.

If the pitcher throws a ball or an error occurs on the field, Hudson must pass the ball to the next player.

If the Patriot’s pitcher throws a strike, then Hudson keeps the ball until the next play.

That “rule” applies to whomever is holding the ball, but the same ball must be used.

It cannot be dropped and can only be passed from fingertips to fingertips.

Whitney Haynes engages in another round of “passing the ball” during a game in the NCAA Div. III Softball World Series at Montclair State University in Montclair, N.J. Talon Photo by Clay Ihlo

If anything good happens for the Patriots while a player is holding the ball, that player gets to stretch her luck into the next play.