Local fans experience Omaha

Published 12:30 am Thursday, June 25, 2009

NATCHEZ — In the last few days, Natchez residents Chad and Simmons Huber were able to fulfill a dream of going to the College World Series and help force a legendary college baseball coach out of an Omaha steakhouse.

The Hubers arrived in Omaha Sunday night and watch the first two games of the championship series.

They were part of the sea of LSU fans that not even legendary Texas coach Augie Garrido wanted to tangle with.

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“We went out to eat Sunday night at a nice steakhouse,” Simmons Huber said. “The Texas coach came in there to eat, but saw all the LSU fans and decided to go somewhere else.”

Simmons was going to give the Longhorns coach an LSU greeting, but he had already departed.

“He was downstairs at the bar, and sent some people upstairs (to the eating area) to scope it out. I was going to go down and give (Garrido) Tiger bait, but he was gone. The bartender told me there were so many LSU people in the restaurant, he left.”

That was just part of the fun the Hubers had in Omaha. They arrived Sunday and watched Game 1 and 2 of the championship series.

They were just two of the numerous LSU fans at the games. Tiger fans easily outnumbered Texas fans, and even the Omaha natives turn into LSU fans for a week, Simmons Huber said.

“The people from Omaha who don’t really have a dog in the game, said they were pulling for LSU,” she said. “They love LSU fans and love what they brought to the city. They said they love when LSU makes the College World Series because it’s so much fun.”

That fun included an LSU pep rally before Monday’s game that Tiger coach Paul Mainieri spoke at.

“It was an electric atmosphere to get ready for that first game,” Chad Huber said. “It was just fantastic.”

And Chad said Monday’s Game 1 of the series — a 7-6 LSU win in 11 innings — was the highlight of the trip.

“It was a classic game to watch,” he said. “That’s probably the best college baseball game I’ve ever been to. The atmosphere was just like Saturday night in Tiger Stadium. It was a college football atmosphere.”

Work commitments forced the Hubers back to Natchez on Wednesday, but they will never forget their first trip to the College World Series.

“It was awesome,” Simmons Huber said. “I’ve always wanted to go. It was everything I always thought it would be.”