Good Bye to the Box

LSU baseball is the hottest team in the nation having won 23 straight games. They also hosted a regional and will host a super regional this weekend in Baton Rouge after a two year hiatus from the CWS scene. What makes this even more special is that this is the last season for Alex Box Stadium as a new one is being built for next season. Here is a great poem written by Bradford Smith that captures it all.

For one final weekend, at Ole Alex Box.
The stands will be packed and the stadium will rock.
An unthinkable run by this young Tiger team,
Allows The Box to go out the way everyone dreamed.

"Rosenblatt of the South" will open its gates,
As the Tigers play host, thanks to twenty-three straight.
It's Baseball at Box, for the very last time,
As the Purple and Gold take on UC Irvine.

In the middle of April, things sure did look grim.
Thinking the Tigers might watch the post-season again.
Then on April 22nd, things finally went right.
And LSU started something special that night.

Down 4 to 3, in the top of the eighth,
The Tigers rewarded the fans for their faith.
The clutch hitting came, like Paul said it would.
And his team started playing the way that they could.

The sweeps started coming, first home, then away.
The Tigers were winning, no matter who they would play.
The streak kept on building, just game after game,
No matter what the situation, the result was the same.

There have been some heroics, some balls left the park,
Like that time in Kentucky, off the bat of Matt Clark.
It was especially sweet, when we made seventeen,
Against the USC gamecocks on a walk-off by Dean.

With an SEC championship and regional too,
The hottest team in the land is named LSU.
And while the streak has been nice, and the games have been fun,
The season's not over, and the Tigers aren't done.

Gorilla Ball's back and not a moment too soon.
As the Tigers play ball for one more time in June.
It's fitting that The Box should go out like this,
With thousands upon thousands watching every last pitch.

From the Lunatics in left to Chris at home plate,
And Coons Corner in right calling guys Tiger Bait.
With the Bullies sitting there, right by the bullpen.
There will never be a weekend like this one again.

Put me in Coach will blare when it's hot,
And you just might remember the things you forgot.
Like twenty-five cent programs, free cokes for foul balls
The SEC standings, starting lineups on walls.

The birds will be chirping and the K-lady will run.
Five flags will remind us of championships won.
The ping of Tiger bats will echo once more.
And this will be the last time we hear ole Alex Box roar.

The 7th inning stretch will have that old familiar song,
And the voices will be heard of the seven thousand strong.
Then with a rush of emotion and perhaps a tear in your eye,
We'll send off our Tigers, and tell Alex Box goodbye.

GEAUX TIGERS!!!