The long-lasting power of Gum Time
Two days ago, obviously, coming back from the All-Star break can be a little rusty, moreso the pitchers than anybody. Bonderman didn’t have his best game, but obviously pitched well enough to win. Our offense 
has been great the last few days. That game, down 4-1 at the time, walking along in the dugout, Verlander and Miner come up to me and ask, "What do you think?" and they point to the gum. I said, "Well, I think it’s time." Both of them go wad it up, and sure enough, we put a five-spot up and take the lead and don’t look back. That was the first time all game. It’s fun, because it’s not something you can go and do all nine innings and hit or miss. This was the first time in a game, and here we go, five runs score. It wasn’t just hits, it was the crazy things that happened. Everybody, fans included that are big on it, they pick a time of the game to throw it in. It may or may not work, but each person has the belief that it was their time, their pouch, their gum that started it. That’s what makes it so fun.
And then again Friday night. We got into the ninth inning, and I hadn’t chewed gum all night. Shelton told me that it was time. I said, "Nah, let some of the other guys do it," but he said, "No, 
it’s time. Get it in there. Get it done." Sure enough, I throw a whole pack in, and two batters into it,
Guillen hits a walkoff and we’re all running out there. There’s five or six of us, and you can see it in the paper, you can see a couple of the guys, Verlander and Maroth, have some big old wads. It’s just hilarious, man. I mean, we have so much fun with it that earlier in the game, our assistant clubhouse manager, Tyson Steele, he came down there and we tied it up. Nobody was doing it, and we looked down the bench and there’s Tyson with gum in his mouth. He didn’t say anything. He just came out there quietly and threw some gum in his mouth and we scored three runs that inning. He goes, "You can thank me for that," and walked back up to the dugout and back to his business.
Answer Time at Gum Time
As far as the responses on some of the blogs (spelling yours) …
NATE ROBERTSON… U ARE A GOOD MAN… wich brings me 2 my next point… i was looking for some freaking big leag- i mean magic gum at a bunch of freaking gas stations rite aids and grocery stores and they didnt have any. not one freaking pack… ware do u guys get so much?
Posted by: shanfan91@aol.com | June 28, 2006 04:33 PM
This is a frustrated fan right here. They’re really wanting some gum. We talked a little bit about this last time as far as getting it into the ballpark and things like that. I will say this: Big League Chew has no problem providing gum. It’s still a matter of the interest of getting it into the ballpark. That is kind of an ongoing situation that may or may not happen. It would be good if it did. Again, people are bringing it in.
I’d like to give a little shout out to my friends and family back in Wichita and back in Kansas. I’m getting a few reponses from them, fans who are from there and are following along and really enjoying it and having a ball with it now, too.
Nate,
I wrote somewhere on here eairler, but I want to write again. I respect you and look up to you. One day I want to be a pitcher as good as you are.- Katie #1 Fan
Posted by: kzgiam@yahoo.com | June 29, 2006 10:29 AM
Thanks. It’s nice to see the fans following along.
Thundersticks? Rally Monkeys? Stupid White towels??
Heck no!!!! We have:
Gum Time!!!!!
Gum Time Rocks. We all love it. Go Tigers!!
Posted by: thehermanfamily@sbcglobal.net | June 28, 2006 08:48 PM
Thanks. I really enjoyed that post. We will continue to ride this horse.
Hope to see you guys in KC in the fall. Maybe it will be wrapped up by then!
Saw the Bird pitch back in Mo-Town many years ago…this reminds me of that (his whole approach to having fun and keeping it a game).
Hope your TV is working well….
Dan in Wichita
Posted by: ultedan@yahoo.com | June 29, 2006 09:29 PM
Thanks. I don’t know if they see this as The Bird. I don’t know if they saw him as sane or insane, but he sure did have fun. That’s what we’re doing right here. Just to let everybody out there know, we are sane. I don’t talk to the gum.
Holy cow, this is the best thing I have seen all day!!
I’m not sure if you would ever remember this Nate, but I was one of the girls with the "119 Reasons to be a Tigers Fan" at the last game of the 2003 season.
Anyway, I never missed a single game until I actually grew up and got a job and had to move away from home — but I caught a game in Milwaukee last week where you guys played amazing again!
It is AMAZING as a life long tigers fan to see what you guys are doing and Gum Time makes it even more entertaining! Keep it up!
Posted by: zetterla@student.gvsu.edu | June 29, 2006 10:46 PM
Thanks. The fans who were behind us in ’03, those are the ones that stick with me. It’s fun to see they’re still around, still following, and they’re now having just as good a time as we are. They had to endure it, too.
Nate it’s great to watch all you guys in the dugout with huge wads of gum it really brings a smile to a lot of peoples faces especially mine it is nice to see the team clicking so well and having fun winning but i think what you guys need is to get Leyland and big ol’ pack of Big Nate Chew that would be hilarious!
love you guys and good luck
Go Tigers!
Nick
Posted by: motownkid269@yahoo.com | June 30, 2006 02:21 AM
Thanks. But in response to getting Leyland to get the gum instead of cigarettes, it ain’t gonna happen, unless maybe there’s nicotine in the new Big League Chew. I don’t think that’s gonna happen.
Nate-
It’s been fun following you these last few years. It brings out a little Maize pride. Andrea’s made it to a few games in Minnesota, her husband is a big fan. Tell Josh I said hello and I’m looking foward to watching you in the post season.
Brian Wood
Posted by: brian.lori.wood@comcast.net | June 30, 2006 11:21 AM
Thanks. Great to get a shout out for some Maize High School pride, my old high school following along.
There’s an army of Nate loyalists out in RF (Section 104, L) who will pack the chew with the best of them. Feel free to send some of the clubhouse rations up on any Friday night.
Posted by: patrorai@hotmail.com | June 30, 2006 10:58 AM
Thanks. But if you’ve got a whole section of people, that sure is a lot of gum to supply. We’ll be looking to section 104, though. Keep the loyalists strong.
Nate Robertson's Gum Time 
When was your debut and what did it feel like? What does it feel like to be in the big leagues?
Chad
http://mlblogger.mlblogs.com
Hey, I saw you, Verlander and Miner with that Big League Chew on TV the other night. I told my mom who was who, and she was surprised. It’s catchy. Keep up the good work. I’ll try to make it to the game against the A’s for Photo day. Keep Doing your thing, “Nate! Nate the Great!” *sings* “Nathan Jones, You’ve been Gone too Long…” (that’s the line I always sing from the Supremes song).
Hey Nate!
Just wanted to say I absolutely LOVE wearing my “It’s Gum Time” t-shirt and having people ask me what it’s all about. And no matter where I am I have Tigers fans walking up to me saying “nice shirt!”‘
See ya Sunday for Photo Day!! …hopefully it won’t rain this year!
Keep up the GREAT work! GO TIGERS!
-Steph
Hi!
I’ve been a Tiger fan since 1999 and this season has been AWESOME!! The games are so much fun to watch and go to. I love Gum Time. When we are down in the late innings I chew along…either at home or at the game!
Good luck with the rest of the season!
You know, until I found this blog, I thought the secret power behind the Tigers this year was all the guys wearing high socks… in particular, I noticed Inge, Shelton, Granderson, and even Jim Leyland wearing them. High socks are so cool.
But now, my belief has totally been shattered, and I know the truth!
Maybe the Tigers can trade for outfielder Shin-soo Choo from the Mariners, and then you’d have a Big League Choo to go with your Big League Chew. You’d be unstoppable! 🙂
These stories are awesome, keep up the great blog.
-deanna
Nater,
We are loving the gum time stuff. It’s great to read about the success of the team. Keep up the fun times. The boys say hi and love reading about gum time. Love the postcard of Wichita!!!
The Shermans
I’m a huge Astros fan, so I don’t often pay attention to the AL, much less the AL Central.
And then the White Sox beat us in the World Series (so painful, so very painful), so by default, I had to pick an AL Central team.
A friend of mine was thrilled and told me to be a Tigers fan. So I said sure, okay.
Ever since then, you’ve definitely been one of my favorite players, and all I have to say is you should totally chew some of that gum whenever the Astros need some runs scored, because that stuff is powerful, man.
Hope you have a great game tonight!!
~The task ahead of us is never as great as the power behind us.
Hey Nate!
I just wanted to let you know that my mom absolutley LOVES to watch you with the gum. Ever since she saw you do it the first time she’s always looking for you in the dugout. We can always hear her go, “Nate’s got the gum in!” My friends and I play in a softball league and every week one of us brings her a pack of Big League Chew so she can start stuffing if we need some runs! Wishing you and the rest of the team the best of luck. See you in Cleveland on July 26th!!
~Krissy Shultz~
When the beginning of October rolls around I think you and everyone else on the team should grow out the chops! Your version of a Goatee is very entertaining and how great would it be so see Magglio with a beard with is long hair?! just a proposition but the beard/chops/long sideburns would be a great look for the squad. GO TIGERS
Craig Monroe just hit a grand slam and the Detroit tv guys are crediting the gum! (My apologies for not knowing who they are, I’m in Boston watching on “Extra Innings”.)
Congratulations on a great idea, Nate – and on your fabulous season! Good luck!
http://redsoxchick.mlblogs.com
I Believe in the power of the Gum!
I was listening to the Wednsday Game against the White sox and the bottom of the 6th inning just started. I went to the 7-11 and I got a pack of Big League Chew. I decided I would try a rally chew, my first real rally chew. I threw most of the bag in , setting a record for the most gum I have ever chewed at once. 5 mins later with sore jaw, Craig hits a GRAND SLAM!!! I am a believer in the gum!!!! Thank you Nate, and Go TIGERS!!!
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.~Hebrews 11:1
On my way to the game last night, I made sure to pick up a pouch of magic. I sat right front next to the dugout. As we went into bottom of the 6th, I saw u & some of the other fellas with chimpmunk cheeks. We all know what happened next. Comerica was on FIRE!!!!
The Tigers need to have a Big League Chew giveaway day!!
Can you imagine 40,000 fans chewing away??
Hey!
My family and I were at the game on Wednesday and we made sure to throw in some chew before the fifth inning. We had the binoculars on the Tiger’s dugout, waiting for gum time to start. Sure enough, by the sixth inning, I saw a flash of pink and knew that something great was about to happen. Congrats on the wins yesterday and today, and keep on chewin’!
WHY DO U GUYS HAVE TO BE SOO GOOD? AS MUCH AS I HATE TO SAY THIS, YOU GUYS ROCK! IM A CLEVELAND FAN…AND IM NOT ASHAMED TO SAY IT. HAHA! EVEN IF THEY LOOSE 100 GAMES THIS YEAR I WILL STILL LOVE THEM. ITS DIFFICULT TO WATCH THE OLD TAPES THEY HAVE OF THE INDIANS WHEN THEY WERE AMAZING IN THE 90’S THAT THEY SHOW DURING RAIN DELAYS AND STUFF. EVEN THO I WAS ONLY LIKE 7 WHEN THEY WENT TO THE WORLD SERIES IN 1997 I REMEMBER ALOT FROM THAT YEAR.
WHEN U PLAY EM NEXT TAKE IT EASY ON EM, I MEAN WE ARE IN DANGER OF FALLING BEHIND THE ROYALS!!! GIVE US A BREAK!! HAHA!
WELL, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK…EXCEPT WHEN U PLAY US.
❤ STEF
Keep chewing that gum Nate. Make us proud!
I got home to Texas just a few hours ago from a weekend trip (back home) to Michigan. We landed in Detroit so we could see a Tigers game. Great game that day, so nice to beat the Sox at home and so nice to be able to root for the home team. We usually see the Tigers in Arlington when they play the Rangers. We get a kick out of the gum rallys, I love it when Kenny Rogers gets right in there with the rookies. Keep it up, we’re believers in the Big League Chew. More than that, we believe in the Tigers, always have, since I was little and sat behind Willie Horton at Tiger Stadium. Rock on our Motor City Kitties!!
re;The Tigers need to have a Big League Chew giveaway day!!
Can you imagine 40,000 fans chewing away??
Can you imagine the bottoms of everyone’s shoes when they try to leave!?! That’s a lot of gum!
I’ll just pass this on: An American Legion baseball team up here in the U.P. showed me their “secret weapon” heading into the district competition. One of the coaches unzipped his equipment bag, reached in, and out came the Big League Chew.
Nothing amused me more than being out at a bar one night, half the bar’s watching you guys battling it out last minute with KC when even the bartender grabs a mic and says to the bar:
“Anyone have Big League Chew?!”
By the time I finished explaining to my friends why in the world he’d ask such a question, I could sit back and watch Guillen loft one out for the win.
On another note, I love the comaraderie you guys have out there. Watching the bench in the last few innings puts a relaxing spin on the energy of the end of a game.
Keep playin strong guys!
Maybe give the indians some chew?! we need it
❤ Stef
Hey Nate, was at the game and saw you and Zumaya pitch Sunday. You did well. People must have put their Rally chew in early, because you guys did good against the A’s. I was down there for photo day, and the “Photo Pool” of fans was cool as well. When I got down there, Verlander and Zumaya were passing thru. Here are some Pictures that I took from Photo day before the game. http://flickr.com/photos/femaletrumpet02/sets/72157594210861901/ Enjoy!
I’ve lived in the Carolinas for several years now but my Tigers loyalty has never waivered. Thanks to the cable MLB package, I’m right there with you. It’s nice to be winning, but even better that you guys are having fun while doing it. Now the reason for my post: watched late edition of SportsCenter last night—John Anderson talked about Saturday’s game against the Twins and yelled “GUM TIME!”. Love it!
Hi Nate,
Have been a tigers fan since the early 60’s. I now live in Oklahoma and watch you on MLB whenever I can. My 2 year old daughter is also becoming a tiger fan. You guys are simply amazing this year and I am betting you go all the way this year. Keep up the great plays.