Disco Inferno: Alabama Baseball's Groovy New Celebration
It seems like every year since his arrival in Tuscaloosa back in 2020, if there's an interesting story involving the Alabama baseball team, shortstop Jim Jarvis is likely involved in it in some capacity.
Whether it's leading a book club focused on personal development or practicing mudita to better the team as a whole, if there's a team-oriented tradition or routine, Jarvis isn't far from its roots. And despite now having reached his senior season with the Crimson Tide, he is once again responsible for his team's latest antics.
When doing some research while writing this story, it didn't take long in my digging before fingers began pointing in Jarvis' direction. With every source, player and coach that I reached out to Jarvis was immediately the first credited for what is now lovingly referred to as the 'disco helmet.'
Alabama Athletics
The story begins during the preseason when Jarvis and his teammates had returned to campus for spring training ahead of the Crimson Tide's 2023 season. During the offseason, the NCAA altered rules regarding celebrations, prohibiting them from taking place on the field. Due to the new rules, Jarvis and his teammates hosted a brainstorming session to figure out a solution.
The first thought, while possessing much potential, was ultimately a dud.
“Hunter Hoopes was going to get one of those massive hats like Brian Robinson was wearing — like, a custom Alabama hat of that and that was going to be the home run thing," Jarvis recalled. "So he collected money from everyone, put in an order and I guess they ran out of the red hat — something happened where last second, like, right before the season was about to start, he gets an email from them basically saying that they can’t do it."
The second thought had more potential than the first and while it was ultimately decided against, it helped lead Jarvis and his teammates to their final destination.
“We were all sitting at his house one night talking about it and I just started looking up weird hats because my original thought was to do one of those big foam cowboy hats," Jarvis said. "I was like, ‘Oh, that’d be funny,’ and if you could get someone to make one with an Alabama ‘A’ on it, I feel like people would buy it, too — which I thought would have been hilarious."
While searching for the largest, ridiculous cowboy hat he could find, Jarvis typed in the words 'crazy hats' and fell down the rabbit hole. After searching through a plethora of hats that didn't meet the criteria, Jarvis' eyes fell upon a hat that he had never seen before — and it was beautiful.
Gazing back up at him from his screen was a mirror-covered helmet shaped like a disco ball. It was tacky. It was obnoxious. It was hilarious.
It was perfect.
"I was scrolling through some of the options, saw that disco helmet and immediately I just started thinking about how funny it would be to see some of the guys on the team wearing that helmet," Jarvis laughed. "So I just started thinking about how funny that would be and had to just pull the trigger because the season was about to start.
"I thought it was hilarious and then now seeing all these pictures of people, like, everyone looks so dumb in it — like, it’s hilarious. We haven’t used it ever, but there’s a little retractable visor in it that’s just even funnier.”
After polling the team on what hat to choose, the result skewed towards the disco helmet. That was all the encouragement that Jarvis needed, and after putting it in his online shopping cart, the order was placed.
The helmet arrived just before opening day and Jarvis excitedly brought it with him to the Crimson Tide's season opener against Richmond on Feb. 17. It didn't take long before catcher Mac Guscette hit a three-run home run over the wall in left-center field — the first of the season for Alabama.
After rounding the bases and heading into the dugout, Guscette was given the honor of being the first Alabama player to wear the helmet, and the tradition has stuck ever since.
“I love it,” second baseman Ed Johnson said. “I love it. We get pumped about it. We get the little picture — the little Polaroid — taken of us, so I think it’s cool. Something to get the dugout going.”
Alabama Athletics
Due to being out at third base during Alabama's turn at the plate, head coach Brad Bohannon didn't even notice the helmet in the dugout until after several home runs had been hit over the Crimson Tide's opening weekend.
"I love for the kids to have fun,” Bohannon said. “There’s a line between having fun and showboating or insulting an opponent and the kids are just having fun. It’s kind of funny. I get home one night and my wife Kim was like, ‘What is that helmet they put on?’ And I was like, ‘What are you talking about?’ I really didn’t even know anything about it until we hit, like, our third or fourth home run.
"That’s how you know you’re old — when you’re the last to know."
The helmet is only half of the tradition, though. One night after the season had started, Jarvis was scrolling on Instagram on his phone when he saw an advertisement for a miniature digital camera. The ad gave him an idea for another purchase, but this time a much more sentimental one.
After shopping around at seemingly every local store that would carry digital cameras and with his search being fruitless, Jarvis ultimately opted to go for a cheap disposable camera. However, the camera was soon upgraded to a Polaroid — a thought by either director of operations Jack Hoehl or player development coordinator Jenny Sanders, both of whom Jarvis credited — and pictures began to accompany the helmet-wearing.
“I thought it would have been really cool to have a little camera to capture little moments because obviously we have photographers at all times around the field but there’s something different about you taking a photo of something, like, weird happening," Jarvis said. "I like the idea of having a lot of good memories on photos."
Traditions — no matter how serious or silly — have a way of bringing people together. That's exactly what the disco helmet and photo op have done for the Crimson Tide as it continues to trudge through its very difficult SEC schedule. Even in the midst of Alabama's current conference slump, the camaraderie of the team is at an all-time high.
“I think that’s kind of one of the main reasons team sports are so enjoyable,” Jarvis said. “Even when it’s not you that’s doing something great, you can still enjoy the moment with your team. It kind of brings everyone together. We have a little Polaroid camera in the dugout now. […] I think it’s good for memories.”
Jarvis revealed that he didn't ask Bohannon for permission to bring the disco helmet to the dugout in the first place, saying that he was under the impression that Bohannon would "Just let it be." So far that appears to be the case.
After all, what coach wouldn't want his players to find a means to incentivize hitting home runs?
"I hope we take a lot more Polaroids the next few weeks," Bohannon laughed.
See Also:
Brad Bohannon's Message to Alabama Baseball: 'You Just Gotta Take It'
