Baseball Bat Labrador Retriever Steals Show at College Football Game Amidst Roaring Applause

It’s hard to imagine how much courage it takes to walk onto the field of a stadium filled with thousands of fans. But professional athletes do it weekly, and dogs trained to handle a crowd don’t seem bothered by the attention, either. At least, this bat-retrieving dog didn’t mind his roaring applause.

While he may have started his career in a baseball stadium, he feels just as comfortable on a football field. And when this beautiful black Labrador had both teams’ fans cheering, he handled it like a rockstar!

Check out this video from September 9 to see this good boy getting everyone pumped up for the game!

There’s a good chance I would pass out if I had to run onto a football field in front of 60,000 people. But for Ripken (@ripkenthebatdog), it was just another day at the office. This beautiful Labrador is an athletic professional; he’s not only a bat-retrieving dog for the Durham Bulls baseball but also retrieves tees for NC State Football. He could barely contain his excitement as he waited patiently on the sidelines for his dad to give him his queue, and when the moment finally came, he charged onto the field to do his job with thunderous applause. While it may be hard to believe that North Carolina State and Tennessee football fans were cheering simultaneously, dogs have a way of being a unifying force. They give us something to cheer about, no matter who we root for.

Related: Greensboro Baseball Team's 'Bat Dog' Gets a Pep Talk During the Game and It's Too Cute

How Long Have Dogs Been Helping in Sporting Events?

Dogs like Labradors and Golden Retrievers have been helping retrieve baseball bats during minor-league games for over twenty years. According to the MLB Draft League, a Golden Retriever named Chase began entertaining fans at a bat dog during the 2002 season for the Trenton Thunder. However, they began helping in football even earlier. SB Nation reports that Boise State started using a black Labrador named Kicks to fetch the tees in the 1990s.

People shared their love for this Retriever. Viewer @v.a.thomas responded, “It doesn’t matter what team you are for; our love for Ripken is universal.” That’s for sure. One person shared, “I love my team, but I’m pretty sure we cheered louder for Ripken Saturday night.” That’s understandable. Another person remarked, “You’re the GOAT, Ripken! I love hearing the crowd cheer for you. Dogs are truly the best!” That seems to be the thing everyone can agree on.

Everyone should be so lucky to wake up each day and go to work with this spirited boy’s enthusiasm. But, at least on the weekends, we all can watch him doing what he loves.