Hoboes – Laurel Hill (FL) School

One of my favorite scenes in the baseball classic Bull Durham is when the manager berates his players for their seeming lack of effort:

Skip: You guys. You lollygag the ball around the infield. You lollygag your way down to first. You lollygag in and out of the dugout. You know what that makes you? Larry!

Larry: Lollygaggers!

Skip: Lollygaggers.

Sounds like something very similar happened down at the Laurel Hill School, in Florida. Seems basketball coach Rex Wright was upset with his players for not showing more effort, calling them hoboes, instead of lollygaggers. The team just so happened to be looking for a mascot at the time, so the name stuck.

Another theory is that the name simply came from the town’s railroad history, especially between the wars (i.e., the 1920s and ‘30s), when there were indeed many hoboes in the area. And a final theory comes from Cracked.com: “because school administrators wish to furnish their students with realistic expectations for the future.”

However it may be, the school is quick to point out that, “Unlike tramps or bums, the hoboes are usually very resourceful, self-reliant and appreciative people. They display the quiet pride that comes from self-confidence and the secure knowledge that they control their own destiny." Sure.

Laurel Hill is in the Panhandle, practically in Alabama. The town of 600 dates back to 1821, when it was known as Almirante. And, yes, they do have an annual hobo festival.

The school goes from K-12 and has about 450 students total. In spite of the name, it is indeed a public school.

And this one, in East Setauket NY, is private

And, of course, they have a mascot. In fact, they have two!

The first is a real person, local pastor Mike McVey, who’s been doing it for over 20 years.

The second is his grandson, who dons a rather scary homemade outfit.

You can check out the latter busting some moves on YouTube. 

The school also has their own song … sort of. You can check that out right here.