Hotty Toddy Takes New Friends From Swayze Seats to Omaha Streets
Conversation at an Ole Miss baseball game blossoms into friendship and a College World Series invitation
OXFORD, Miss. – What began as a casual conversation between strangers at an Ole Miss baseball game in 2023 turned into an invitation to Omaha for the College World Series in 2026.
University of Mississippi alumnus Charlie Farris (BBA '75, MBA '78), of Holly Springs, struck up a conversation with the gentleman sitting behind him at Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field in March 2023. The man was there with his daughter, an Ole Miss student, enjoying the game.
"It turns out he's from Omaha," Farris said. "He was talking about how great the College World Series is and how much fun they had in 2022 when Ole Miss won the championship.
"I said, 'Oh, I'd love to go to Omaha someday;' and he goes, 'If you all ever get to Omaha again, you're staying with us.'"
Charlie Farris (left) wears his lucky beer showers shirt and Hunter Elliott hat at an Ole Miss baseball game in Oxford-University Stadium/Swayze Field with (from left) friends Myles and Ava Brown Moore and his wife, Jane Farris. Submitted photo
Farris did not think anything of the statement. It was just small talk, after all.
At another game, the man found Farris' tailgate where the two exchanged phone numbers. Farris was reminded: "I'm not kidding, if you ever come to Omaha, you're staying with us."
Again, Farris did not think anything of it. Fast forward to last week's Super Regional at Auburn.
"As soon as the last out against Auburn happened, I get a text from him: 'You know you're coming to stay with me, right?'" Farris said.
After reading the text, Farris looked at his wife, Jane, who asked if he even knew the man's last name.
"His first name is Jon," Farris said. "That's all I know," Farris said.
It turns out that Jon's last name is Firmature and he was born and raised in Omaha.
"The College World Series – I played baseball in college – I just I love it," Firmature said. "It brings everybody from everywhere together because they're coming to the College World Series, so you can meet all these unique people; it's just always been a great experience for me."
Firmature was visiting his daughter, Karly, now an Ole Miss senior majoring in business and minoring in Spanish, on that day in 2023.
Jon Firmature (left), of Omaha, Nebraska, attends an Ole Miss baseball game in Oxford with his daughter, Karly, a senior business major at the university. Firmature struck up a friendship with UM alumnus Charlie Farris at a game and has invited Farris to stay with him to attend this year's College World Series. Submitted photo
"We just bought some tickets to a game, because I love college baseball," he said. "Charlie was sitting in the row in front of us, and we hit it off. We're two brothers from different mothers."
The two connected and continued to talk.
"Charlie offered that if we're ever around, let him know," Firmature said.
The Firmatures were back for the 2023 Arkansas series. His stepson, Jared Wegner, played for the Razorbacks. The new friends got together then and tailgated.
"We've shared growing up experiences with our grandkids and our own kids with each other because it's baseball; it's the family connection," Firmature said.
And so, Farris is packing his superstitions and heading to Omaha.
"I am very superstitious; I have a beer shower shirt that has cans of beer and suds going up in the air that I always wear the first game of the series," Farris said.
He also has a special hat he wears for certain pitchers.
"I'm going to wear a Hunter Elliott hat – the one with the hair – because whenever he's pitching, I always wear a Hunter Elliott hat," he said.
Farris is also looking forward to traveling to Nebraska for the first time.
Charlie Farris (left) and Jon Firmature plan to attend the Ole Miss Rebels' games in the 2026 College World Series together. Firmature, who lives in Omaha, Nebraska, invited Farris to be his guest for the series. Submitted photo
"All these years of travel and business, I never have been to Omaha," he said. "I'm looking forward to seeing that part of the country."
While in Omaha, he plans to go to Rocco's to help Ole Miss renew its title.
"I'll definitely go by Rocco's and contribute to the Jell-O shot challenge so that Ole Miss can hopefully win again this year," he said.
Firmature is looking forward to showing his and Omaha's hospitality.
"I hope everybody has a welcome sign on their door," Firmature said. "I think we've missed that in some places with technology and everybody's got their head down, but once in a while, it's always just nice to say 'How you doing' to someone.
"That's really how this started; Charlie was just someone that I enjoyed talking to and built a friendship out of it."
Such friendship or kismet could be described as "Hotty Toddy."
The saying has different meanings for different people. For Firmature, it represents tradition.
"I think when people say 'Hotty Toddy,' they remember all the great times they had, and, obviously, the great experience that they had," he said.
For Farris, it is simple.
"To me, it means, 'Hello, Rebel, we're best friends forever.'"
Top: Ole Miss alumnus Charlie Farris (right) struck up a friendship with Jon Firmature, of Omaha, Nebraska, while watching the Rebels play at Oxford University Stadium/Swayze Field. Firmature, whose daughter is an Ole Miss student, invited Farris to stay with him to attend the Rebels' games in the 2026 College World Series. Submitted photo