Hogs' John Bolton's Last Moments Show Why Place Special
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas shortstop John Bolton stood on the infield inside the Fowler Family Indoor Track and Baseball surrounded by young men wanting an autograph.
He signed baseballs, shirts and even made a quick video to send to the mother of one. It was the end of hitting camp, and even though there was an all-skills camp still scheduled for the following morning that most of the athletes had been participating in alongside Bolton, these were the final minutes they would get to spend with him.
According to coaches, he wouldn't be at the final session because he had to drive to Little Rock the next morning to interview for what the coaches described to the players as "a big boy job." The message wasn't lost on most of those who heard it. Even if you manage start for the best baseball team of the past half decade in all of college baseball, at some point all of that education has to kick in and a job not playing the game each of these young men love has to take over.
Also not lost was that these were Bolton's last moments as a Razorback. Shortly after offering his back as a solid surface for Bolton to sign his Arkansas baseball shirt, one of the campers watched Bolton walk out the door and then turned to his dad in wonder and excitement.
"Do you realize the last thing he ever did as a Razorback was sign my shirt?" he asked. "That's crazy. All that time and the things he did here and the last thing he did was sign this for me. Wait until I tell Mom."
That reaction captures exactly why just two days earlier, a grandfather whose grandson lives in the shadow of the Oregon State program and has numerous Division I offers, drove over 4,200 miles to make sure Razorback coaches got film of his grandson as a catcher.
For roughly 99%of those who play baseball, being an Arkansas Razorback is the pinnacle of what is possible. Even those who make the minor leagues don't get to have that experience. Massive crowds going crazy. Getting recognized while making a snack run to Wal-Mart. Radio stations talking extensively about how you did. A big hit or catch affecting the day of someone hundreds of miles away.
There are only four places like that outside of the Major Leagues and Arkansas is at the top of that list. The game is so big in Arkansas that Razorback fans helped a restaurant in Omaha dig out of financial straits after COVID during College World Series week.
For however long players wear the uniform, baseball life won't be any bigger. Even if that player makes it to the majors for part of a season, which is the most even the best of players can hope to experience, stepping to the plate as a relative unknown doesn't compare to walking up with 11,000 rabid Razorback fans losing their minds while looking for any reason to do a Hog call.
What definitely doesn't happen is young men clamouring for an autograph because it would be so impressive to their moms. For Razorback fans, this is just how it's supposed to be, but for players who come from other states or programs, it's something built on wonder and magic, especially for someone who only gets a year to take it in like Bolton.
Sure, it hurt a little bit for fans when the TCU series ended. But that pain is exactly why so many are in line hoping for a piece of what Bolton got to experience. It's also why, once again, Arkansas fans will enter the season knowing there is a chance this is finally the year.
And just like Bolton's final moments as a Razorback with those young men, that's what makes Razorback baseball special.