Lifelong MSU Fan Hopes His Seventh CWS Is The Charm

OMAHA, Neb. (WCBI) — Johnny Heard is a Mississippi State Bulldog through and through.

At 91 years old, the Brooksville native attends every baseball game at Dudy Noble not wanting to miss a moment in Diamond Dawg history.

That’s why he’s traveled 846 miles to Omaha for his seventh College World Series. This time, hopeful it’s the one he sees an MSU championship win.

“I believe we have more hustle this year than we’ve ever had before,” lifelong MSU fan Johnny Heard said. “I just enjoy seeing all of them play. I love to see Jake [Mangum], he hustles, Rowdey [Jordan] hustles, all of them hustle. We’ve got some boys that can hum the ball. They’re going to win this thing.”

Heard has cheered his Dawgs on for 40 years, and 30 as a season ticket holder. Often fond of the Ron Polk years at the old Dudy Noble.

“That was the best team that’s been up here and didn’t win a world series,” Johnny Heard said.

“Polk was his guy and has been his guy ever since,” Heard’s son Scott Heard said. “He loves all these folks. He loves Lemonis, he loves Cohen. He loved all these folks, even Butch Thompson and these other assistants. Ron Polk and the way he carried himself smoking his cigar up in the press box. They came up together.”

He couldn’t support his chosen team without his family. The Heard’s always make sure he can attend every single game.

“If we didn’t want to go to the game we wouldn’t bring him,” Scott Heard said. “I know if we had not come up here he would have been devastated. There was no telling him no. Somebody had to get him here.”

As the years go by, Johnny has been a constant at Mississippi State games all throughout the country. Each year being more amazed than the one before.

“It’s just unbelievable that a little ol’ team down in Starkville, Mississippi can play with folks like these other schools,” Johnny Heard said. “I’m proud of the fact that they’ve been here. How many folks in the United States can say they’ve been to seven world series with their team?”