Three Up, Three Down: From brooms to vacuums, booster club still evolving

According to the 19th-century writer Henry James, "It takes an endless amount of history to make even a little tradition."

In another turn of the screw, when an endless amount of history isn't available, a powerful thirst and a six-pack may suffice.

One of UNLV's most endearing sports traditions is the 335 Club, an unofficial booster group that has been cheering on the Rebels' baseball team from beyond the outfield fences at Wilson Stadium since 1989.

That just seemed like the right time to start an unofficial baseball booster club, original 335 member Drew Solomon said.

Plus, Solomon said, "they wouldn't let us bring beer inside."

So an old landscaping truck was backed up to the left-field fence, just beyond the 335-foot sign down the left-field line. The next game, somebody brought lawn chairs. It wasn't long before Jim Gemma, the former UNLV baseball information director, begin flashing welcomes to the 335 Club on the message board in left field.

The 335 Club gained momentum under then-UNLV coach Fred Dallimore, whose "office" in a shed beyond the right-field fence contained an old soft drink machine that dispensed cold cans of Coors Light. This might explain why the 335 Club gained momentum during his reign, and that of successor Rod Soesbe, when the 335 Club briefly became the 375 Club -- mounds of dirt were moved beyond the fence in the power alley, serving as foundation for bleachers that were dragged over from the soccer field.

Not exactly the Wrigley Rooftops in Chicago, but it sufficed, until Jim Schlossnagle was named Rebels coach and erected a wind screen in left field, eliminating the 335 Club's vantage point. The group more or less disbanded. There was a halfhearted attempt to reorganize when Buddy Goldsmith became coach, but as somebody said, "Why bother?"

That attitude changed after Tim Chambers was named coach last year.

Having built a powerhouse at Bishop Gorman that endures to this day, Chambers recalled the endless amount of history the 335 Club created, or at least remembered it lifting brooms when UNLV swept Pacific or San Jose State and tossed hot dogs to outfielders that leaked mustard from uniform pockets. It would be neat, Chambers thought, if UNLV could reclaim that kind of spirit.

He raised the money to erect a formal perch in right field with all the amenities -- i.e., a place for a cooler and a barbecue grill. In return, each 335 Club member has paid him back by purchasing season tickets.

There are other rules -- no profanity, no rowdy behavior, no abusing the opposing right fielder, no removing one's shirt when women or children are present.

The 335 Club has evolved in other ways. Where it once wielded brooms after a sweep, it now hoists a vacuum cleaner that somebody had discarded in a campus trash bin.

It was the bottom of the first Saturday on a sun-kissed day at Wilson Stadium when Jim La Rocca, "The Rock," the guy who drives around with "335 CLUB" on his license plate (now that original member Larry Christison has moved to Colorado), pretty much spoke for the group.

"When I die," La Rocca said, "this where they can put my urn."

THREE UP

■ Henderson resident Sam Schmidt paid a heavy price (permanent paralysis due to a testing crash) to watch his car, driven by sometimes Las Vegas resident Alex Tagliani, sit on pole position for the Indianapolis 500. On Saturday, the sport that has taken so much from Schmidt gave a little back -- two other Schmidt-backed cars will start fourth and sixth.

■ The UNLV golf team tied Oklahoma State and Arizona State by securing its 23rd consecutive berth in the NCAA regionals, showing what can happen when you raise your own money and hit your irons straight.

■ Just add (600,000 gallons of) water: The South Point Arena and Equestrian Center was transformed into the world's largest bathtub for Jet Ski races and a water thrill show, showing what can happen when one thinks outside the box ... or has too much to drink.

THREE DOWN

■ Papa Joe Chevalier's rehabilitation has hit a snag. The longtime Las Vegas sports talk show host suffered a stroke in March and doesn't have the resources for the physical therapy that could bring him back to health. He's still at Desert Springs hospital, trying hard to keep his spirits up.

■ After its representatives committed transgressions ranging from devious to despicable, the Fiesta Bowl got off with a fine and a one-year probation, so let this be a lesson to UNLV basketball players: The next time you err in judgment, be sure to wear an ill-fitting, brightly colored blazer and tell the authorities you're with the bowl committee.

■ Description from "Mario Super Sluggers" for the Nintendo Wii game system: "Consider for a moment, a baseball stadium with a train track running through the outfield, such that a fielder may be squashed by a passing train while attempting to catch a pop fly." See, this combination Las Vegas ballpark/train station idea isn't nearly as wacky as it seems.

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ron Kantowski can be reached at rkantowski@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0352. Follow him on Twitter: @ronkantowski.