Tennessee Baseball: The story behind the fur coat, daddy hat home run celebration

In 2020, Tennessee baseball started using a unique home run celebration. This year, the Volunteers made an addition to it — and there’s a fun reason for it.

Tennessee has used the daddy hat for the last couple seasons, and it got plenty of use this year. The Volunteers have hit 141 home runs this year, leading the nation, but decided to make a fun addition prior to the 2022 campaign.

That’s where the fur coat came into the picture, and it’s become a staple of the program. It first appeared before the season-opener, which Tennessee won 9-0 over Georgia Southern. Tennessee hit four home runs in that game, so it stuck around. But where did the coat come from?

It turns out catcher/outfielder Evan Russell was behind it.

“That is another Evan Russell creation,” third baseman Trey Lipscomb said, via the Knox News’ Mike Wilson. “He has the cheetah print pimp coat. We like it. Just put it on your shoulders or whatever.”

It appears it worked. The Volunteers are a No. 1 seed, taking a 53-7 overall and 25-5 SEC record into the College World Series. As fans hope to see the coat more during the CWS, they can thank Russell for bringing it to the dugout this year.

“It’s just some fun stuff that the dugout likes to do,” Russell said, via the Knox News. “With how the game’s going in today’s world, it’s like, just trying to make baseball as entertaining as you can. Having something to use as a celebration, it’s always cool.”

Tennessee could have more chances to wear the fur coat and daddy hat Friday night when the Volunteers take on Alabama State at 6 p.m. ET on the SEC Network in the Knoxville Regional of the College World Series. Georgia Tech or Campbell will lie ahead for the winner on Saturday.