Texas Tech University Athletics
The Homefield Advantage
May 13, 2002 | Baseball
By Adam Quisenberry, Texas Tech Athletic Media Relations
The visitor's batters box at Dan Law Field can quickly become one of the most lonely and intimidating places in the entire world. In part because of the pressures that are placed on a collegiate athlete, in part because of the Tech pitcher who will be staring him down from the mound, but a large part of it comes from the people who are seated a few feet behind him. The group calls themselves the Tech Hecklers and they can generally make life a living nightmare for Red Raider opponents.
Like the Texas Tech baseball program, the hecklers have grown over the last decade to become a recognized force in college baseball. They evolved into a troop of unwavering delegates of Texas Tech that follow the team near and far and through the good times and the bad.
The origins of the Hecklers can be traced back to when a young Chris Snead brought a love and understanding of baseball as he first stepped onto the Texas Tech campus in 1987. His love for America's past time and school pride began to coincide when Snead first began to fire barrages of words and humor at the teams who came calling on Larry Hays' Red Raiders. When the Hecklers actually became an organization is somewhat hard to say, but Snead soon developed a following of his own. Witty baseball fans such as he soon began to join forces to provide visitors a new obstacle to playing at Dan Law Field.
As the program began to rise in prominence across the nation, so did the reputation of this motley crew of diehard Texas Tech fans.
"In 1995, I asked the guys if they wanted to get shirts and we got Conference Cafe to sponsor us and it just kind of evolved from there," said Snead.
Teams soon began to prepare for the Red Raiders in the stands as well as the Red Raiders on the field, prompting the Lubbock Avalanche Journal to write "Some of the best pitches thrown at Texas Tech's opponents come from the stands."
However the Hecklers are very aware that baseball is a family environment and strive to handle themselves is a playful and classy way. Chris Snead laved down the 10 commandments of heckling in his book, "The Bleacher Bible." The book outlines the do's and don'ts that the Hecklers obey at all times. The Bleacher Bible commands that the Hecklers steer away from profanity and mother jokes while remaining witty and intelligent.
Opposing players have also singled out the group as being one of the best heckling groups in all of college baseball. When Nebraska pitcher Shane Komine was asked which group of fans were the best when the Huskers were on the road, he responded, "I always enjoy going down to Texas Tech because the "Tech Hecklers" always put on a show. They take heckling to a new level and I really think they do a great job."
Snead and the Hecklers have received support from the community with donations allowing them to travel to Texas Tech's appearances in the NCAA tournament the last few years including last year's trip to Las Angeles. This year the Hecklers decided to become more of a booster organization for Tech baseball so in January they hosted the First Pitch Luncheon in which with the help of Texas Tech basketball coach Bob Knight raised approximately $13,000 for the program. With the funds from the luncheon, the Hecklers bought the team "throw back uniforms" that modeled the look from the 1926 season, purchased new speakers for Dan Law Field, and bought line-up boards for both the baseball and softball teams.
"We were fortunate to be able to raise a lot of money this year and help out the program and I hope that it becomes something we can do every year," said Snead.
So as you are taking in the next game at Dan Law Field, look to the section just about the opponents on deck circle, that is where you will see Texas Tech's home field advantage.
