Page 35 - South Mississippi Living - July, 2024

HAPPY TAILS FROM HSSM ADOPT, DON’T SHOP.
Shuck.
Bottom Photo:
TJ Shook with the boys.
Barqs.
Group Photo Left to Right:
Sam Carlson, Bradley Blalock, David Blackwell, Kaleb Bowman and Nick Merkel.
The Biloxi Shuckers’ roster just got a little more packed, bringing the term “Play Ball” to a completely different level. Barqs and Shuck, both Labrador-Shepard mix puppies, are now the official clubhouse K-9s for the team.
“And all of our players interact with Barqs and Shuck in different ways,” said Community Relations Manager David Blackwell. “One of the guys was doing a pregame interview with our broadcaster and he was asked about the K-9s. He said, ‘You may have a bad outing and you may not have a great game, and you’re frustrated. But then, you come off the field and get to the clubhouse, and all of a sudden there’s a puppy.’”
Blackwell adopted the K-9s from the Humane Society of South Mississippi, but Barqs and Shuck are considered part of the Shuckers team. Their journey to become a teammate is all thanks to a Saturday meet and greet in downtown
Biloxi.
It was a rather emotional afternoon
for Blackwell. He and players Nick Merkle, Bradley Blalock, and Tyler Woessner attended
a sidewalk sale hosted by Broussard’s Barber Shop
and other surrounding Biloxi businesses when they spied a Humane Society of South Mississippi tent set up nearby.
“The guys said they were going to play with some of the puppies. People started taking pictures and those photos ended up being more popular than autographs,” Blackwell said, adding it became clear to him that a lot of the out-of- state players missed their pets.
Blackwell struck up a conversation with the gentleman from the Humane Society and quickly decided to adopt one of the puppies.
“And then I saw his brother right next to him and I just knew we had to take them both,” he said. “It was a very in- the-moment decision, certainly emotionally fueled and with adrenaline, but it was right.”
Barqs and Shuck are now the official K-9s of the Biloxi Shuckers with a K since it’s the statistical symbol for a strikeout and a 9 because there are nine players on the
field. The six-month-old pups’ future now holds community appearances, training in therapy service and obedience, belly rubs, ear scratches, and lots of team love.
When they are not being local celebrities, Barqs and Shuck live with their off-field family, Blackwell and his wife Keri Beth, and their kitty siblings, Opie, Buddy, and Maple.
2615 25TH AVE., GULFPORT 228.863.3354 INFO@HSSM.ORG
TUESDAY-FRIDAY: 10 A.M. - 5 P.M. SATURDAY 10 A.M. - 4 P.M.
SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living | www.smliving.net
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