STARKVILLE — The smoke was the final selling point for George Bratcher.
A few years ago, Bratcher — a native of Hammond, Louisiana, and fan of the LSU baseball team — was watching a Mississippi State baseball game on television and saw the smoke from grills hanging over the outfield. Bratcher’s traveled around the Southeastern Conference a bit to watch the Tigers, but at that time, he had yet to see it at MSU.
Seeing that much smoke over the outfield made it a priority.
He made his first visit when the Tigers played at MSU in 2015 and was immediately hooked. He came back for the series earlier this spring, which doubled as the last one at Dudy Noble Field before a two-year renovation process overhauls the venue. Construction is now underway on a venue that will be seen as sacred by MSU fans and visitors alike.
“I hate to see it go. I’m glad I got to experience it,” Bratcher said. “This is kind of a unique thing.”
Tuesday morning, construction crews were working on bringing down the grandstands that surround home plate.
In Bratcher’s conversations with fans, it’s the unique nature of Dudy Noble Field as it’s been for decades that the fan base will miss.
The fans aren’t alone.
“It’s a combination of the whole thing. When you think of college baseball, you really think of Dudy Noble Field, the Left Field Lounge, you think of the party that’s going on in the outfield and the smoke form the grills and everything,” MSU coach Andy Cannizaro said before that LSU series. “It really is the best environment in college baseball.”
For the fans with concerns for what the new stadium looks like, those concerns always begin with the outfield.
Where wooden rigs have manned the outfield walls for decades, the renovation will bring a permanent structure surrounding most of the wall. The 86 spots for groups of people to rent are said to retain the traditional look of the Left Field Lounge but add amenities such as electricity.
Bratcher still has hopes for the atmosphere staying as is through the renovation: he hopes to find a way to return for an early-season weekend, “when players come up to the fence and eat.”
Bratcher finds that fear of change natural. Mark Meeks is choosing to see the positives in it.
Meeks, a Madison native, sat in his seat on the first base side during the final game of Dudy Noble as is with an optimistic outlook. He doesn’t have the childhood memories of Dudy Noble as some others — having not attended a baseball game until he arrived as a student — but has remained a loyal fan.
He’s spent the last three years attending games regularly and plans to do so in the new stadium.
“Like a lot of other people, I hate to see this go; on the other hand, I think it’s going to be fabulous,” Meeks said. “I’ve heard it’s going to be as good or better than some major league fields. It’s going to be the best in the country, so I’m excited to see it come.
“I’m ready for it, for a change. It sounds like it’s going to be really special.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Brett Hudson on Twitter @Brett_Hudson
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.