Hot Bakers Help Warm Cold Grid Day

Kickoff was still an hour away.

They hadn’t even finished plowing snow off the field at Eastern Washington University’s Woodward Stadium. But up above the main section of stands, inside an open-air entrance, the Eagle Ambassadors were already at it.

“Get your baked potatoes,” called a young woman in a puffy winter coat. She was one of the students staffing a table that served as Spuds Central. “Three bucks. They’re nice and big. And hot!”

That last part of her pitch was significant because Saturday was a see-your-breath day in Cheney. Those who had neglected to bring gloves were sorry long before EWU and Montana started swapping touchdowns.

“Huuuuge baked potatoes,” sang a guy behind the table, whose actual pronunciation was closer to pa-tay-tahs. “Humongous baked potatoes. The biggest you’ve ever seen.”

The highly touted bakers were wrapped in foil and nestled in a stainless steel warmer. When a customer sliced one open, steam billowed.

“Hey, you’re from the Tri-Cities,” the guy behind the table called to a teenager in a Kennewick letter jacket. “You need a baked potato.”

The Eagle Ambassadors are a student group that takes visitors on campus tours, et cetera. And on home-game autumn Saturdays, a few act as good-natured shills for their club’s fund-raising.

“Boy, these baked potatoes are delicious,” said one smiling young woman in a comically loud “spontaneous” testimonial.

“Yummm-eee,” squealed another.

One of the girls behind the potato table sounded like a carnival barker: “They’re hot! They’re big! And we’ve got all the fixin’s.”

Some customers sliced open their spuds, dabbed in some sour cream and split. Others lingered over the chives and bacon bits as if enjoying a fine-dining experience.

Down by the football field, the Montana marching band piped up. And as game-time drew near, the sun made a breakthrough.

“Get your baked potato,” one of the Eagle Ambassadors called out. “A meal in itself.”

“Boy, they’re big,” one of her compatriots exclaimed.

A pair of visiting Japanese students seemed baffled by the potato table. But one finally took a chance.

And after she tried a forkful, she turned to her friend and said something in Japanese.

Judging from her expression, a loose translation might be “It’s big, it’s good and it’s hot.”

, DataTimes MEMO: Being There is a weekly feature that looks at gatherings in the Inland Northwest.