How Broccoli Guy joined Mississippi State’s magical ride to WCWS and is ready for more

Jim Stewart Allen, also known as Broccoli Guy, is still trying to wrap his head around the last two weeks.

What started as a short trip from his home state of Washington to support Oregon in the Eugene Regional of the NCAA softball Tournament has turned into a trip to the Women’s College World Series as Mississippi State softball’s unofficial mascot.

“I’ve dreamed about going to a softball World Series,” Allen told the Clarion Ledger. “I didn’t know when it was going to happen. And so, to be able to finally go is one thing, but to be able to go with such a meaningful connection with one of the teams, with Mississippi State, it just means the world to me.”

Allen plans to be in Oklahoma City for every step of the Bulldogs’ WCWS journey, beginning with their opening game against No. 11 seed Texas Tech (57-7) on May 28 (11 a.m. CT, ESPN) at Devon Park. It will be the first WCWS game in MSU (43-19) program history.

Broccoli Guy surprised Mississippi State at super regionals

Allen has brought broccoli to games for nearly every Seattle professional sports team. It’s about more than just being a fun way to support the teams. It’s also about maintaining a fun environment and encouraging unity.

After watching Mississippi State use broccoli as a rally prop in its regional final win, Allen knew he had to travel to Oklahoma for super regionals. He surprised the Bulldogs in Norman and saw them hand Oklahoma its first super regional loss since 2015.

“It was very exciting,” Allen said of watching Game 1, which Mississippi State won 11-9. “It was just very clear during that whole game that Mississippi State came to play. They had the energy and they had the hunger.”

All weekend, Allen got to see firsthand how much his presence was appreciated by supporting and opposing fans alike.

“The environment was incredible,” Allen said. “I was nervous about how I would be received by Oklahoma fans. … I didn’t really know what to expect, but I got so much love from Oklahoma fans.”

Anytime they needed a boost, the Bulldogs held broccoli in the dugout for good luck. After losing Game 2, MSU leaned on broccoli to power past the Sooners in Game 3, posting pregame pictures and videos highlighting the vegetable.

Allen didn’t need to see the overflow of broccoli content to know that MSU had what it took.

“I woke up that morning on Sunday thinking, ‘I’m going to have to stay here probably because they’re going to win this game,’” Allen said. “… And then I saw pictures on Instagram of … someone holding a bag of broccoli on the bus and I went, ‘Yeah, I’m staying in Oklahoma.’”

What Mississippi State softball means to Broccoli Guy

As the Bulldogs secured the final out in Game 3, the ESPN broadcast showed Allen in the stands with tears in his eyes.

He joked that this was a result of the exhaustion of dancing in the hot sun and his tired acceptance of a trip to the WCWS. In reality, it was an outpouring of joy for the team he’d come to love.

“That’s just been two weeks of following this team at a pretty intense level, game by game, seeing them work” Allen said. “… I think right after that, the team ran over to me, and we had our own moment, which is so, so humbling.”

For as much as Allen enjoys watching the Bulldogs play, the players enjoy having him in the stands. Infielder Nadia Barbary said seeing him dancing during the games helps them remember to have fun and stay loose in tough moments.

This relaxed style of play is what helped them get past Oklahoma. The Bulldogs even thanked Allen for his contributions by letting him hold their super regional trophy.

“It’s just been great,” pitcher Alyssa Faircloth said. “He’s such a sweet guy, so just the fact that we can bring him along and celebrate him with our broccoli in our dugout and just make him feel a little bit special has been great.”

The wider MSU community has also embraced Allen. Leila Ammon’s dad, Charles, started a GoFundMe to help cover Allen’s WCWS travel expenses. It had received $4,165 in donations as of May 26.

Unsurprisingly, Allen believes the Bulldogs have a good shot to win the title, noting it would be a fantastic finish to his and their journey.

“For them to even get this far is just incredible,” Allen said. “… Mississippi State is representing what it means to be a hungry, energetic softball underdog and they’re doing it so well. … Anything they do, I’m going to be super proud of, and I’m not surprised if they win it all.”

Tia Reid covers Jackson State sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email her at treid@usatodayco.com and follow her on X @tiareid65.