Sooner Spirit
The Rise of the Most Fanatical Fandom in College Sports
They call it Sooner Nation because “fanbase” doesn’t even begin to cover it.
On any given Saturday in the fall, eighty thousand football fans pack the Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, yelling “Boomer Sooner.” In the spring, they rush into Love’s Field softball complex to cheer on back-to-back national champions. Since the University of Oklahoma was founded in 1890, athletics have been an integral part of the institution – and so have the fans.
Brimming with humor and little-known facts, Sooner Spirit highlights those who shaped Sooner culture, from the coaches and athletes who carry the hopes of a state on their shoulders, the students who give old traditions new life every Saturday, the tailgates that turn strangers into family, the RUF/NEKS and Lil’ Sis, the Pride of Oklahoma marching band, to the superfans that become legends. Together, they represent generations of Oklahomans who built an identity around athletic excellence and regional pride and show the world what it means to be a fan.
In this vivid blend of cultural reportage, archival dives, and electric game‑day drama, Eddie Malone immerses himself in the history of University of Oklahoma sports and its supporters without shying away from the more controversial aspects of Sooner fandom – the university’s history of segregation, the mascot controversies, and how Native fans contend with the school’s iconography. But Sooner Spirit ultimately tells a larger story of audacious achievement and historic, record-breaking victories. From football to softball and more, Malone chronicles how this extraordinary fandom came to be, and what it reveals about the state, the university, and the fans themselves.
About the Author
Eddie Malone’s creative work reflects his background as a scholar, journalist, and fiction writer. Using these skills, he builds an immersive, literary experience that resonates with readers in and out of Sooner Nation.
Malone is a graduate of Texas Christian University, Loyola Marymount University, and the Center for Writers at the University of Southern Mississippi. Since 2015, he has taught in the First-Year Composition Program at the University of Oklahoma. He lives in Norman with the artist Jenn Peek.
Sooner SpiritTestimonials
Marita Hynes
Former University of Oklahoma Associate Athletics Director
"A must-read for all Sooner fans. This book reignited cherished memories of my 30 years working with the OU Athletic Department. Factual and very entertaining!"
Russell Cobb
Author of Ghosts of Crook County: An Oil Fortune, a Phantom Child, and the Fight for Indigenous Land
"With humor and stylish writing, Eddie Malone delivers a lively appreciation for the eccentrics and visionaries who have made Sooner Nation one of the most powerful brands in college sports."
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