It’s all about hope
Obviously I haven’t had a chance the last couple days to check the blog, but there’s a few things I wanted to respond to. First of all, the response has been tremendous. We just kind of threw it out there to see what kind of interest it would take on , and it’s just unbelievable. While we were in Pittsburgh, we had a family that had three boys, and they all had their Gum Time T-shirts on, and each kid had a pack of Big League Chew that they had me sign. I signed about three more at the hotel Saturday, too. It’s not going anywhere. They all say they were going to be chewing a lot of gum at the games.
There was the comment from shanfan91@aol.com, who was frustrated over trying to find the gum and wondered where players like me are able to get so much of it.
One of the things we’ve talked about trying to do is selling the gum at the park. The difficulty of trying to do that is the stadium crews probably aren’t really big on that. It’s something we may look into and see if that would actually fly. Also, with the actual Big League Chew pack, we may be able to get one specifically for the Detroit area that kind of ties in the Tigers, Big League Chew and myself so that it kind of appeals to all sides, can be fun too, and would make it available. Plus, the fans have been bringing it into the stadium, anyway. They’re chewing it in there and I’m sure there’s gum being stuck on seats. Typically, you’d want people to be a little bit more responsible in how they dispose of it, but to address that issue, that’s something we’re looking into trying to get done.
On to the poem . . .
Hey hey big Nate
I think you’re great
I am a fan it’s true.
"Gum Time" is boss
saves Tigers from loss
Long live the great big pink chew!
Posted by: stinkycheeseman4@msn.com | June 28, 2006 08:37 AM
That’s creative. The fact that people are tying a poem into Gum Time and the Tigers is obviously a testament to how much they’re actually catching onto this and believing in it. It’s fun to see that.
There’s another response from a girl named Katie …
I think the gum thing you started is cool. My team strted it and in late innings.one by a few runs, we start scoring-it is amazing. We not only win because of your amazing pitching, but because of all that work your jaw has to do! Great job today Nate! You Won the game! P.S. I am number twenty-nine on my softball team. I am pitcher too. Every time I do good, it seems you do to. Love Ya Nate,
Your #1 fan
Katie
Thanks. It’s good to see there’s a faithful following, not only in baseball but softball as well.
bthebrents@ameritechh.net wrote: i’m in milwaukee and watch on mlb extra innings. every rally, i’m stuffing my face. i was at the 1st game in milwaukee behind the home dugout, stuffing a wad into my mouth and passing chew to everyone in tiger gear. my jaws were so sore, my girlfriend asked me what was wrong… she just doesn’t understand baseball
Thanks. It’s not only something that’s going on in the stadium. It’s fun to see the Tiger fans across the country that are having fun with this. They’re watching the games at the stadium or on their computers or on TV, and they’re throwing it in and believing it’s going to help. That’s a good time.
Also, some of the adults have been writing in. Just talking about this has really helped them remember when they were playing baseball when they were younger, throwing in gum, seed-flicking, just having fun, the way was the game was built to be. This comment by mthornburg@jasnetworks.net was quite a humorous entry:
Nate – You and the rest of the boys represent what the true meaning of baseball really is; the chance for adults to escape and be kids again. Seeing you dipping the Big League took me back to highschool baseball. The porta-john tipping, hot-foots, sunflower flicking and the most fun "Road Trip!". Keep it up!!
I know a little bit about porta-john tipping. I never actually did any tipping, but I know all about it.
It’s just fun to see how people, more than anything, they’re taking something as innocent as chewing some bubble gum, something that’s been around baseball obviously a long time, and tying it into a success story in Detroit and having fun with it. I do think it’s pretty cool have also placed a value on this. To take the time to actually write in, you have to have a desire to follow it, and they’re following it.
Keep on writing in. I read every one of them. It’s fun reading the feedback.
We haven’t had too many times where we’ve thrown the gum in and didn’t get a rally going. The first time it doesn’t work, we can’t give up on it. It’s going to happen. The big thing is what people can associate a rally with. A rally comes from a lot of different things. It’s a belief that there’s a chance of making something happen when it doesn’t look so good. When you’re down late in the innings, that’s when teams are supposed to bring in their big arms and shut things down. That’s where people need to develop a hope that says: "Hey, we have a chance here." Whatever you associate that chance with — in Detroit right now, we have gum — it gets guys going. It’s what the gum represents. It represents a belief in making something happen. When the fans see that, it kind of spreads in the crowd, and you can kind of sense that it’s going to happen again.
That’s the funnest part about it. It’s what we’re associating it with, and that’s the hope. There’s times in the last three years here where we kind of got down late in the game like that, and everybody just thought, "Let’s go," and if it didn’t happen, whatever. Now it’s like, "Where’s your gum at?"
In a game like Friday night in Pittsburgh, we haven’t come up with a rally-killing pouch yet. In a game like that, it’s nice to jump out and get a big lead early where you’re not always having to press for a rally. We had just enough runs to hold onto it. Defense and pitching typically are the rally-killers, making good catches, big pitches and huge plays, picking teammates up. That’s rally-killing.
Make sure you VOTE FOR VERLANDER! We’ve got to get him in the All-Star Game with the Final Vote. Put in some rally chew for that one, too.
Nate Robertson's Gum Time 
Gumtime haiku:
Oh noh, this Just in,
Verlander On the bubble
Chew on that,Detroit
http://azdiamondhacks.mlblogs.com/
I’ve been voting for Justin (and Nomar in the nl) nonstop the past two days. He definately deserves to get in as did several other Tigers. I’m really excited to see Pudge and Kenny and it’d be great to see Pudge get to catch Kenny during the game (kinda like all 4 Pistons playing at the same time for Flip earlier this year).
Nate, watching you guys this year has been so great. I’m looking forward to your start tonight (I can watch the whole game even though it’s 3 hours behind thanks to my day off for the holiday). I’m thinking about running to the drug store for some gum in time for the game. Good luck and keep on chewing!
-Jennifer
Best of luck tonight Nate, and thanks for all you have done for the team. I wasn’t born for the last good Tigers team, so this is a whole new thing for me. Happy chewing!!!!!
I was watching the games on TV with my mom (who, by the way, likes your Gum Time. She says hi), and heard the “Lets Go Tigers” cheers at Wrigley field as well as during the Milwaukee series. My dad was saying “Those Tigers are somethin’ else, aren’t they?” Oh yah, Good Luck tonight against Oakland! Do your thing against them.
Hey Nate good luck this year getting to the playoffs, seems like the tigers are for real this year. Hope to see you in the playoffs against my team (Blue Jays). Also if you can do me a favour and thank the bullpen catch Todd Maulding for a ball he tossed me eventhough I thought he was Vance Wilson.
Anway good luck and keep on chewing.
Nate,
I just wanted to thank you for being one of the guys who are bringing baseball back to Detroit. With Big Ben and The Captain gone, plus the Lions being the Lions, Detroit’s sports future is looking pretty bleak. However, you and the rest of the Tigers just keep on winning, and give us detroiters something to depend on and look forward to. I appreciate the way you have singlehandedly brought youth back into the game, as well as flat out fun! Good luck and thank you!!!
ok… let’s not get overly excited about verlander… let’s face it–he’s not the best pitcher we can vote for. by any objective standard, liriano is… he leads the league with a 1.99 era, a .900 winning percentage and a .206 batting average against, plus he’s in the top ten in K’s as well… i’m not saying that verlander doesn’t deserve to make the all-star roster, but with ozzie guillen picking buerhle, when he clearly doesn’t deserve it, that means that either verlander and liriano–who both deserve it–will get screwed… and liriano is simply better
regarding the big league chew, has anyone in this blog given credit to jim bouton for inventing it?
Nate,
Nice blog man!
Forget the gum, where can I get some glasses like that? Have fun chewin’. Looks like you guys are playin’ “Bronco” Ball. It’s so much fun winnin’ isn’t it? Keep representin’ the ICT. I’m proud of you Nate and praying for continued success personally and also with the team. Have a safe and happy 4th. God Bless.
“Q”
Hello again my pitching friend
I see you liked my rhyme
My Mr. said “Well that’s just great!
There’ll be no living with you this time.”
According to Mario and Rod
You’re a bulldog out on the field
And even though we lost last night
You’re “my Tiger” I cannot conceal.
My Mr.? His Tiger? Why, he stands at 3rd base.
A Whitecap he also once was
I laugh at the way he will stand with a shout
When Inge throws the way that he does.
Go Tigers Go – we’re cheering you on
No matter what happens please know
Detroit has our heart, we will never depart
Our devotion on ya’ll we bestow.
Hey Nate. I’m the dad of the three kids in the Gum Time shirts you met in the Pittsburgh hotel. You are a class act. Thanks for taking time with the kids and all of the fans that I saw you interacting with over the weekend. I’ve got a great picture of you and the kids in the Gum Time shirts. Will be happy to send you a copy! Keep up the amazing work! Woody
Great site, Nate. Wish we could have gotten you some runs the other day. Anyway, keep chewing us to the pennant!
Chris Gehringer
http://www.navinfield.com/serendipity
Hey Nate, Ron Newsome here, keep up the great work my friend, the gum time has had Deb, Kevin and I cracking up around the house. We even DVR’d the one week against the Yankees so we’ll always have it. My groups singing the National Anthem Saturday nite August 19th, CYA there.
I’ve been searching. Can’t find the gum time shirts. Where can I find them? Thanks.
You could be chewing Rocky Mountain Oysters for all I care– just keep winning. And if it takes gum to make people pay attention to baseball in Detroit again (especially people who weren’t alive in ’84), so be it. Just make sure no one swallows any. After Magglio last season and Bondo’s latest bout of illness, I think we’ve all had enough of strangely disordered stomachs.
Oh, and from one Tigers blogger to another, welcome to the Internet. 🙂
http://tigers.mostvaluablenetwork.com
Hi Nate,
Love the blog and am really enjoying your interaction with the fans. My son and I flew into Oakland (from Reno) for the entire series for the second straight year (actually last year we drove). My son is taking over with my passion of the Tigers and Red Wings, which is a good thing. Last year he was able to get Fernando’s autograph and he was really excited. This year, he was on a mission to get a lot. A couple of weeks ago, we were at a game at Comerica and picked up a Tigers’ Yearbook, which we brought with us to the ballpark. He was patient and able to get Todd, Jamie, Joel and yourself. You guys were very gracious with everyone begging. I told him that the yearbook was a really good idea, since it’s a bit more personal for you guys than it is for someone to just hand you a notepad or a visor from the “other” team. The final day was cool for him since he was able to get Justin’s autograph along with Kevin Rand. Kevin was funny, since he probably isn’t used to many people asking for a trainer to sign. He didn’t even think that he was in the yearbook, but I assured him that he was.
Well, thanks for an awesome season and especially for the autograph session, you guys are great.
Looking forward to more blogs as the season rolls on. I think things are going to get even more interesting than they’ve been! Fans haven’t had this kind of cyber-interaction with a Tiger since the days of C.J. Nitkowski and his cjbaseball.com website.
Cheers!
Thanks for the blog Nate. I now live in Colorado, but originally I’m from the Detroit area. Loved the ol gal of Tiger Stadium, and I most fondly remember my brother driving like a maniac to pick me up from practice to get to a game. Just took my 3 boys and my husband to their first ever MLB game out here in Colorado. The Rockies were playing the Rangers, my husband was on leave from Iraq, and you wouldn’t believe the Tiger fans we saw. He’s always kidded me for wearing an old ball cap that is fadding and falling apart, but you just can’t find Tigers gear around Army bases to often. Maybe now with Gum Time I’ll get that new hat. Thanks!! Keep up the Roar!!! Would LOVE to see a Rockies V Tigers WS. That way I can get to a game or two!! HA!!!
Verlander will get it next year, when his name is more known. We’ll get “Vote For Verlander” shirts that look like “Vote For Pedro” ones. And any other Tiger in the running next year, and hopefully there will be a few. “Vote for Nate” would work too.
Good luck on Sunday. 🙂
Best of luck this afternoon, Nate. Your my favorite pitcher and believe me, it’s hard to have a favorite with the Tigers. You look like a matador right before you throw that ball. I want everybody chewing today!!!
hey Nate.
love reading your blog and seeing how you connect with the fans. good luck today against the mariners.
Nate!
I must say that big league chew is simply the best gum out there! I am from Grand Rapids, but go to school in Chicago; therefore, I watch all the games on mlb.com (except for your start against milwaukee… somehow I came up with tixs behind home plate so I made the drive North!) and I was wondering what flavor is number 1 on your list? I personally love the original flavor. Have a nice break this week and I’m looking forward to you guys coming into town to beat up on the white sox… I’ll be in attendance with my gum and tiger’s gear! Go Tiges!
Nate!
I must say that big league chew is simply the best gum out there! I am from Grand Rapids, but go to school in Chicago; therefore, I watch all the games on mlb.com (except for your starts against the cubs and milwaukee… somehow I came up with tixs behind home plate at miller park so I made the drive North!) and I was wondering what flavor is number 1 on your list? I personally love the original flavor. I also want to say that my most memorable Tigers’ game was your start against the cubs at Wrigley. My Dad and Grandpa were able to drive up from Michigan to go with me and the showing of Tigers’ fans was amazing! Have a nice break this week and I’m looking forward to you guys coming into town to beat up on the white sox… I’ll be in attendance with my gum and tiger’s gear! Go Tiges!
This is great — Nate, does chewing a wad of Big League Chew help me in their 2 baseball games on Candystand.com?
Bullpen Blast: http://www.candystand.com/play.do?id=17946
Home Run Rally: http://www.candystand.com/play.do?id=17852
Hope you enjoyed your time off but now its back to the real world!
Let’s play ball!
Hey Big League Nate.
I was only a few years old the last time the Tigers won the series. I have always hoped a great deal that I would live to see it happen again (I even had high hopes during the Higginson era). Now that my son is about the same age as I was in 84, it would be the perfect time for it to happen again.
You have been my favorite player for a few years now and I love that you (and the Tigers for that matter) are doing so well for yourselves because it gives me a HUGE “I told you so” to throw at all my friends and co-workers who doubted my belief. Now you are my sons favorite player as well, the natural righty even tried throwing south-paw to be more like Nate.
What I am writing to thank you for is not just your contributions on the mound, however. Your contributions with “Gum Time” and being an entertaining personality are just as important. People don’t realize that it takes more than just a winning team to build a baseball town. It takes players that fans can relate to and something like Gum Time to make them feel like they can actually help their team win (the era of the rally cap is long over) and give them a reason to feel they are needed at the ballpark.
Thank you for all this and for having this blog for your fans. As the commoercials might say…… “Nate Robertson is MY Tiger”
Joshua ans his son Lane
Bigleaguechew is running a contest for kids ages 6-14 to have their face on gum packs but I say they need to amend the rules so that you can enter Nate.
Mr. Nate-
Don’t be a foo,
toss me some big league chew.
Sittin’ in the first row of the bullpen,
See ya there Tuesday,
I’ll be rootin’ for you !!!
awesome game yesterday nate!!
You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you. Do you agree?
http://www.nicetick.com
– MLB Air Jordan