Indiana University's men's baseball team decided to bring a little Mets flavor to their game on Thursday night, and it paid huge dividends.
Our buddy Chris Feeny is a big Mets fan. You may have seen him on Twitter -- @ChrisF3105 -- frequently using the hashtage #IUBase. That's short for Indiana University baseball, which Feeny has an avid supporter of since he moved westward.
"My brother went to IU, so I knew it was cool out here," Feeny, a New York native, explained. "So when my daughter was old enough to start preschool, we made the move. We go back to New York every Opening Day, and if I have a wedding or something or for some holidays, but I get my regular baseball fix out here now with Indiana."
Feeny's passion for the program runs deep. He helps operate both iubase.com (@iubase17 on Twitter) and the podcast See You at the Bart. But his love of the Mets is deeply ingrained, too. So much so that he has tried for years to get Indiana's PA announcer to play Lou Monte's "Lazy Mary" -- the song that Mets have played after "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" for decades at both Shea Stadium and Citi Field, during the seventh inning stretch.
"When I got out here, I bought season tickets and when I started going to the games, I’d text my guys back home how they need to play "Lazy Mary," Feeny said. "Then I just started putting it on Twitter. I would always give the score with #NoLazyMary or Still No Lazy Mary."
The Struggle is real.
— Chris Feeny (@ChrisF3105) April 12, 2018
Still No Lazy Mary. #ThrowbackThursday pic.twitter.com/xNtUK23Ud6
"Through the years, I’ve gotten to know the head coach Chris Lemonis and director of baseball operations Roger Rodeheave, and they would joke with me that one day they would play it. I didn't know if they were serious, but when I started the podcast, I would play it, and it just got some momentum from the fan base. And last night it actually happened."
In the middle of the seventh, with Indiana trailing 4-2, "Lazy Mary" made its debut. And after the Hoosiers surrendered another run in the eighth, it looked like it would just be a footnote in a disappointing loss. Then suddenly, the comeback happened. In the bottom of the eighth, IU scored four, capped by a three-run bomb by infielder Luke Miller, his second homer of the game.
Take a bow Luke Miller! He goes YARD for his 2nd HR of the day. #IUBASE 6, Maryland 5 | B8 pic.twitter.com/6DVRnW1Jfo
— Indiana Baseball (@IndianaBase) May 18, 2018
Amazin'!
The Hoosiers are currently the 19th-ranked team in the country, and have the Big 10 tournament starting next week, with hopes of a fourth trip to the NCAA Regionals in the past five years. And if the Hoosiers know what's good for them, they'll keep riding the "Lazy Mary" magic for as long as they can.
Our 4th trip to Fenway is set for Monday May 19th. We're rolling with 1,000 fans, and we'd love to see as many of your amazin' faces at the pre-game as possible. Drinks specials, bowling, pool tables, and more.
Swing by the K Korner on Friday May 9th before the Mets take on the Cubs. If you're sitting with us or not, you can enjoy exclusive specials on Montauk draft beers by rocking T7L merch to the bar.
We're kicking the day off on Saturday April 26th with some miles around DC. Start your morning off on a positive foot, then sightsee or do whatever else you have planned before the Mets/T7LA pre-game party. We picked a slightly shorter route than our usual fun runs. JOIN US!
Brian Erni
Author