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Why Tennessee baseball changed home run celebration props to hockey stick and mask

Mike Wilson credential pictureby: Mike Wilson05/12/26ByMikeWilson

Jay Abernathy came into the Tennessee baseball dugout after homering Tuesday.

A new pair of home run props awaited him. He put on an old-school hockey goalie mask and grabbed a hockey stick to make his way through the dugout as the Vols rolled out a new celebration.

“That was my first time seeing it,” Abernathy said. “I like the change. We got something different for this because we are a different team, a new club, a different Vols team. Just a little something different.”

The Vols debuted the new home run props and slugged six homers in their 11-1 win against Belmont on Tuesday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Tennessee has had longstanding props of a fur coat and a pink daddy hat following home runs in a combination dating back to the 2022 season.

“I am good with it,” Vols coach Josh Elander said. “As long as they respect the game. When they get off the field and in the dugout, any prop they want I am all for it if they keep hitting homers.”

No one was quite sure who was behind the change. Assistant coach Ross Kivett drew attention as a possible culprit due to his Midwest roots in Ohio and his hockey background. Elander, Abernathy and Hunter High both posed that Kivett might be behind it.

“It just showed up,” High said. “I think Kiv brought it. It reminded me of the guy from ‘Miracle’ wearing the hockey mask.”

But everyone from Elander to the players were completely out of the loop.

“I actually went up to Jay and asked Jay and was like, ‘Hey, what is that?’ ” pitcher Nic Abraham said. “He was like, ‘I don’t know.’ “

The Vols made a national name for themselves with home run props while hitting boatloads of homers.

The pink daddy hat made its debut during the 2020 season, but it gained attention and steam during the 2021 season as the Vols reached the College World Series.

The Vols added a fur coat thanks to Evan Russell during the 2022 season.

The hat and coat have remained staples of Tennessee baseball since, including throughout the first 52 games this season. But there was a change Tuesday and it might stick around.

“We had a lot of homers today so maybe it a good luck charm,” High said.