Page 21 - March 2017 Rev E_Neat

ISSUE NUMBER 165 MARCH 2017
THE TOWN CRIER

Clemson Family: All In, All the Time
Allison Daniel

Clemson University is home to many exciting activities for students and townspeople alike. During fall, eve-
ryone gathers in the Death Valley to cheer on the football team, and in the summer, a day at the lake makes everything
feel better. There are plenty of shows at the Brooks Center, including plays and concerts, to keep you warm through
the winter, but perhaps the most underrated time of the year in TigerTown is the spring. Spring brings with it the re-
turn of flowers and birds to campus, but also an enjoyment for all - baseball.

Clemson baseball has a long standing tradition of success, and anyone who has been around long enough
knows how players like Kris Benson and others positively impacted the baseball program. Yet, today, the team does-
n’t nearly get the support it used to.

It may seem like a small and trivial thing, but a home field crowd really can make a big difference in a game.
Yes, there are those fans who haven’t missed a Clemson baseball game in 10 years or those dedicated students who
run to Doug Kingsmore Stadium after classes to catch part of the midweek games, but there is a general lack of spirit
and support within the community for that program.

Last season saw a bit of revitalization with the return of postseason play to Clemson, but prior to those re-
gional games, it was hard to fill the stadium. While Clemson’s attendance is amongst some of the best in the Atlantic
Coast Conference, it reflects more on the poor state of baseball attendance in general rather than implying Clemson
has high attendance.

America’s traditional pastime is dying. Younger people are no longer driven to sit out in the bitter cold or
scorching heat to watch a baseball game. This shift towards more ‘exciting’ sports, such as football and basketball, has
left one of the most passion-filled games by the wayside.

At Clemson, we are known for our school spirit and rallying behind our sports teams. Why does that same
enthusiasm not transfer into the spring with baseball? Could it be that the sport itself doesn’t get as much coverage and
attention as others? Or that so many people see baseball as the sport of the past? The student section, located in the
outfield of Doug Kingsmore, is almost barren on most game days, though usually packed when South Carolina comes
to town in early March.
It is important to let everyone know that Clemson is not just a football school, but that we care about all our
sports. What might not seem like an important thing is really what defines Clemson as a family and school.

Student-athletes work extremely hard to represent their university well in their sport, and none of them must
have to look up into empty stands and feel their fan base isn’t behind them. While this may start with students caring
more, it certainly doesn’t end there. The Clemson community as a whole
needs to put in an effort to support all of its athletes and show the world that
the Clemson family doesn’t just gather in the fall.

Allison Daniel : I am a junior English major who grew up in Dillon, South
Carolina, a small town located in the northeast of the state. Growing up in a
town where no one ever left, or even cared to look outside of the town bor-
ders, I knew from a young age that I wanted to experience something else.
When the time came for me to apply for colleges, I was immediately drawn to
Clemson, the perfect mix of small town values and opportunities for success.
It is a decision I have never regretted. Aside from interning at the Pearce
Center, I am Sports Editor of The Tiger and am a Writing Fellow at the
Clemson University Writing Center.

21