ECU Fans Bring the Jungle to the Baseball Field

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - As you can imagine, East Carolina University fans are excited to see the Pirates not only get a top ten rank this year, but also host an NCAA regional tournament. WITN decided to hang out with some of those fans today in a well-known spot called the "Williams Jungle".

The NCAA Greenville Regional Tournament has ECU and Coppin State taking the diamond first.

However, you won't just find fans in the stands. You'll also find them in the jungle.

"We have the best fan base there is in North Carolina," Danny Murphy said. Murphy sets up in the same spot outside Clark-LeClair stadium for every game to cheer on their favorite team.

"It's just a good group of people. They hold me down and they always come around. They are very loyal fans, and it's always just a good time," Murphy said, smiling.

Grandfather and grandson duo Tom and Jack Southern say it's a family affair.

"You've got your football tailgating crowd and your baseball tailgating crowd, and it's two distinct groups. But the baseball tailgating crowd is full board and a lot of fun," Tom Southern said.

This jungle full of fans didn't sprout from the ground yesterday. It started years ago, thanks to Charlie Martin and Tony Brown.

"We were at a game and it was about this hot, and we were sitting on aluminum seats which [will] cook your fanny. And I told him, 'Look at that shaded oak tree. We've got to get out there,'" Brown explained.

And out there they went, creating a gathering spot outside of the old stadium at Harrington Field and eventually bringing it Clark-LeClair.

"We all got young kids and we used to bring them out here and now they've grown and they got young kids and they come out here," Martin said.

It's a growing tradition that fills the stadium and parking lot with fans for every Pirates game.

If you find yourself in the jungle this weekend, don't be surprised if you see some Virginia orange or Coastal Carolina teal mixed into that sea of purple.

ECU fans encourage visiting fans from other teams to come to tailgate with them because they say it's important to share the fun.

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