When Baum Stadium opened in 1996, several of our group members were the original occupants of the Hog Pen in left field, even before there was a fence or grass out there. In the late '90's and early 2000's, most of us were college students who attended Razorback sports events together. As the Hog Pen grew, we met many great folks who are some of our best friends to this day. When the popularity of Razorback Baseball skyrocketed in late 2004, we decided that the Hog Pen was too crowded. We joined some of the Swatter's Club guys and players' dads out in the parking lot. Little did we know, it would be for good.
When we moved to Tailgate Row in 2004, we joined Tim Kring, Steve Cash, Dave Kilgore, and several others. Around us, several different groups set up now and then. The East End crew eventually anchored that end. In between, there would be different groups from time to time.
By 2007, we had a consistently full island with the same groups setting up every week. This has largely remained consistent. Tim fulfilled his need for a tailgating vehicle by building a shack on the back of his F-150 pick up which he affectionately named the BaumBQ Shack. When Tim moved away, Ben inherited it. He fancied it up and dubbed it the Snaut Haus. Though it barely made it across the parking lot near the end, we kept it as storage and a bookend of the row for a few more years. Although people have gone through different phases of their life with families and work, the core group has remained throughout the years. Unfortunately, in the fall of 2020, we lost one of the founding members and first faces everyone would see when they arrived at the ballpark, Steve Cash. Steve would welcome everyone with a hug and absolutely lived for tailgating at Baum Stadium. Even as things change, we hope to carry on Steve's spirit and pride in the Hogs.
In 2020, we were ramping up to start cooking competitively in addition to tailgating. We added the trailer to make the show mobile. Little did we know that after our first weekend with the trailer, the world would shut down. We did not get to tailgate at Baum from March 2020 until the regionals in June 2021. However, since we have been back, we continue to elevate our game and try new things.
Since the beginning, we have taken to the road whenever we can. However, there is no question that our second favorite place to tailgate in the country is Lot B in Omaha.