This Is Baseball, Part Two: RBI Girls
HERE ARE YOUR RBI GIRLS!
A baseball game inside Baum Stadium is anything but typical. There are the usual things you would expect like the peanuts, the crackerjacks, the 7th inning stretch, and the sound of the ball hitting the bat. At Arkansas, there are a few extras that make the experience, a unique one. One of those extras being the RBI Girls.
As we approach the start of the 95th season of Razorback Baseball at the University of Arkansas, we take a look back through a four-part series leading up to Opening Day the genesis of traditions and factors that helped guide Razorback Baseball as one of the sport’s most storied programs.
GROUNDBREAKING
When Baum Stadium opened in 1996, it ushered in a new era of Razorback Baseball. With that new era came a new aspect to college baseball games that changed the fan experience as we know it. RBI Girls were introduced as a new branch of the Razorback spirit squads to give fans the added pageantry to the college baseball game that had never been seen before.
Jean Nail, who spent 34 years as the University of Arkansas’ Director of Spirit Squads, helped spearhead the efforts to provide what ended up being one of the most innovative additions to the Razorback Baseball experience. When the RBI Girls took to the dugout for that first game in 1997, Arkansas became the first college baseball program to have something like it.
Jean Nail, Razorback Spirit Squad director 1981-2015: “The idea for RBI Girls came from our marketing department after the marketing director at the time saw a similar thing done at the Major League level. We had the new stadium and the space and he came back and asked if we could do something like that. I told him, ‘Let’s go look at it,’ because my first concern was safety. We thought it looked reasonable, given you couldn’t do everything you would normally do as a dancer and we would certainly have to limit it, but we thought it could be done. We have to give props to that group in the first year when they tried out. They had no idea that there might be 25 to 30 extra events, but we took it and ran with it. ”
Brooke Bailey, former RBI Girl, current Razorback Spirit Squad Director: “All throughout my first year, I danced in front of football crowds that were really far away and you were projecting. Basketball was the same way, but at baseball, you’re so much closer to the fans. I thought it was going to be a really unique experience, but I wasn’t prepared for how rewarding it was going to be. We would talk to the fans before running down to dance on the dugout. You really got to know people on both sides because we would alternate dugouts.”
Jean Nail: “When we went out there for the first time, we definitely had some fans wondering, ‘What the heck is happening?’ But as it grew, the fans grew to love it and they’ve even suggested songs. There are fans, to this day, that when the girls get ready to get off the dugout, they’ll get helped down off the dugout so they won’t fall off. We were very grateful for the acceptance because we weren’t sure we would be accepted.”
FAN FAVORITES
The RBI Girls utilize a large collection of themed dances throughout the season, which include coordinating costumes and props. Many of these dances have become fan favorites that have stood the test of time and continue to be part of the RBI Girls repertoire.
Brooke Bailey: “When people come to games hoping to see a certain dance or hear a specific song, it means they’re invested in what you’re doing. It means our practices are worth it. There are probably 10 songs that have specific dances to them, but then there are other dances that are all about the music. We try to pick music that will pump the crowd up. We want to keep it fresh and not have fans come back all the time hearing the same songs.”
Jean Nail: “We did a lot of thinking and asking questions about what we were going to do and how we were going to do it. Baseball is a family-friendly sport and we wanted to keep it that way, as baseball-oriented as we could get. We are still wearing some of the old costumes and jerseys today that we wore 20 years ago. We wanted it to be something someone would enjoy. Baseball is a generational sport, particularly, here in Arkansas. We wanted something for every generation.”
Not only have the RBI Girls became a favorite of the fans, but being an RBI Girl has become a favorite of the dancers, themselves. Even with the numerous amount of games and seasons sometimes extending into the summer, the dancers have embraced the experience that they get to share with fans.
Brooke Bailey: “They (RBI Girls) love Razorback Baseball. Even when it’s not their game to perform, they’ll come and sit in the stands and be a part of it or want to fill in because it’s such a fun atmosphere for them. They will tell you that their favorite part about being an RBI Girl is the fans and getting to know the fans. Their favorite dances are the ones that are the crowd favorites.”
Jean Nail: “The girls come in excited about baseball and the fans are excited to see them. The fans are an integral part of what we do at the game and the events. Fans have said it wouldn’t be the same without them and I’ve been told that by many different fans. We’re proud of the girls because it takes a lot of time, but they’re all baseball fans. If they aren’t studying or working on a routine, they’re out there watching the game.”
With the RBI Girls now entering their 20th season with Razorback Baseball, the group has become an integral part of game day at Baum Stadium and have helped pave the way for many other similar programs across the nation.
Jean Nail: “You can’t talk about Razorback Baseball fans without talking about the loyalty and the love of the game. They all love baseball, they all love the team, and they are the most supportive fans you will ever find. They are completely supportive of the program. It’s a different breed of fan that we have here and they’re a wonderful group of people.”
Brooke Bailey: “For me, when I walk into the stadium, I feel like my cares and stress goes away. I think for the girls too, it’s relaxing, but exciting, engaging, and rewarding. It’s about the tradition and something that started 20 years ago. We just keep wanting to build on that and continue it, but make it better. We take a lot of pride in being one of the first to have something like this and our fans appreciate what we do and what we bring to Baum Stadium.”
