Funky Feather

Oh, Hornsby. This is where I came in.

Doin' the Funky Feather: One man's cheer, a stadium's celebration

Although there's always a certain amount of energy surging through the Dow Diamond when the players take the field, it is when the Great Lakes Loons score a run, and the song "Sandstorm" by Darude begins, that it is at its greatest.

That's because it's Funky Feather time.

The recently named Funky Feather is a dance -- no, more of a cheer, well, maybe a cross between a dance and a cheer -- in which sometimes 5,000 fans pump their fists alternately in the air to the "Sandstorm" beat in support of the Loons. If you missed a few games this summer, it sneaked up on you, although at least one man's version has been ongoing for more than a year.

"I don't know how it got started in the games," said Loons intern Steve Addington, who is given much of the credit for the Funky Feather version of the cheer, and for getting fans involved in what has become a phenomenon, resulting in videos, T-shirt sales and graphics on the jumbotron.

When I first saw them do this, I thought that they were doing an homage to Cousin Luke and Cousin Butch...The Bushwhackers! (Just watch the ring entrance and the crowd)

Then, after the Loooooons scored the 500th run against the Rattlers in that three game series...I got annoyed by it.

As a reference here is the song that I got really sick of in Midland..

One more exceprt for the article

It's like the people were waiting for permission to party. Prior to the marketing students leading the charge, visitors to the diamond could see people squirming in their seats when the Loons would score, the "Sandstorm" music would start, and Tim Lamparski of Midland, a really energetic fan, would get up from his chair and pump his arms up and down while swaying to the fast-paced beat. It was a dance he practiced at home, he said, and one that earned him a spot on the big screen quite often at the games.

...and you'll need to click the link to see the T-shirt. My question: Can you buy that shirt any time or only after the Looooons score their first run of the game?