'Champions of partying:' Meet the LSU fans who host an annual gathering at the WCWS

Beazie Maurin grabbed a microphone as her LSU softball family gathered ‘round.

“Thank you Lord for blessing us with safe travel to all who came from near and far to join us in our annual celebration,” Maurin said. “Welcome back to all who have returned for another gathering of fellowship, food and fun.” 

After cursing hurricanes of old, and asking for protection as a new hurricane season begins, Maurin passed the mic as members of the group said the names of loved ones they’ve lost in the last year.

Then, after reciting the Lord’s Prayer, the party began.

“Let the good times roll!” somebody yelled, which cued the Shirley & Lee song of the same name to blast from the speakers.

More: Tramel: How will OU softball fare in new league after exiting Big 12? SEC coaches chime in

No one has a better time at the Women’s College World Series than the Krewe de Chickaboo — a group of LSU softball fans, and a few unaffiliated hanger-ons, who stage a Cajun Invasion once a year in the south parking lot of Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City.

LSU didn’t make the Women’s College World Series this year, but it doesn’t matter. These same Tigers fans show up even when the Tigers don’t.

“It’s the greatest show on dirt,” said Maurin, who’s organized the annual gathering since 2007.

The Krewe de Chickaboo, with their neon yellow shirts and a rubber chicken for a mascot, set up their tents Wednesday night, and they pulled into the parking lot at 7 a.m. Thursday, when the gates opened on Day 1 of the tournament.

It wasn’t even 10 a.m., but the warm smell of cajun cuisine was in the air.

Thomas Loupe, from Hammond, Louisiana, stirred a heaping pot of shrimp stew, made with a flour and oil roux complete with onions, bell peppers, celery and potatoes. A bowl of that over rice? There are worse ways to start a day.

“Started with about eight of us,” Loupe said, looking around. “And then it grew into what it is now.”

More: What you need to know about NCAA softball tournament, Women's College World Series in OKC

The Krewe de Chickaboo is about 40 strong this year, a number that would be tripled, Maurin said, if LSU was playing.

“We’ve been known to dance in the street,” said Maurin, who lives 35 miles upriver from New Orleans in Reserve, Louisiana. “The cops come after us … and we abide by what they say.”

Anyone who has a problem with the Cajuns will have a change of heart once they’re lured in by their garbled accents and good food.

“You go get you some of that stuff,” said Christine Beauvais, who coached Louisiana high school softball for 38 years. “You ain’t gonna leave either. You’re gonna come back.”

Jambalaya, crawfish opelousas and crawfish monica is on the menu this week in addition to burgers and steaks, stuffed mushrooms and barbeque. A fish fry is planned for Sunday. And for dessert? Cake balls and pralines.

“It’s kind of like this to me — people come here, somebody invites somebody or whatever — and then once they get here they want to stay because it’s so much fun, the people are so good, the food is good, the music’s good, the entertainment’s good, and we’re all fans of softball,” Beauvais said.

“We’re LSU fans first, but we’re softball fans and we love the game.”

More: Michele Smith has watched the WCWS grow from ESPN's broadcast booth. 'It's pretty special'

And they stay through the end of the tournament, “unless somebody we don’t like is playing,” Beauvais said.

Do they like OU?

“... When we have to,” Beauvais said after a long pause.

But Maurin, the organizer, said if you see her on Wednesday, the first day of the championship series, “I’m gonna have an Oklahoma shirt on probably.”

Tigers fans know things will get even tougher on the softball diamond when the Sooners join the SEC, but as the Krewe de Chickaboo proves year after year, good luck matching the fervor of LSU fans when it comes to off-the-field fun.

“If you want the champions every dang year of partying,” Beauvais said, “ain’t nobody can hold a candle to Louisiana. Nobody.”

More: Carlson: What could make the WCWS even greater? How about Bedlam for the NCAA title?

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: WCWS is annual tailgating party for LSU fans, with or without Tigers