Bringing the Energy: Evan Johnson’s Bravado and Hype Delivers Passion to Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium

It starts with a few fans joining in. Then a row. Soon, an entire section of Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium is moving in unison — all following the lead of one fan in the front row: Evan Johnson.

Whether he’s at a game supporting the Terps or the Nationals, or working games as the hype man for the Baysox or Mount St. Mary's, Johnson always brings the energy.

“I feel like these kinds of environments are what I was born for,” Johnson said. “When everybody’s here, they’re all into the game and locked in. Above all else, we’re all just looking to have a good time. I like playing my part and helping people have a good time. That's just what I've been doing my entire life. It was my destiny to be at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium.”

At nearly every game, Johnson is stationed right up front — cheering on the Terps and rallying the crowd with spontaneous cheers and dances. His moves aren’t choreographed; he lets the moment dictate his motion.

Nothing brings him more joy than seeing the fans join in his dances. One of his favorite moments from this season was leading Maryland fans in the “Swag Surf" dance in the Terps’ thrilling 15-14 win over Delaware. 

A Bowie native, Johnson’s professional sports affiliations lie in DC with his Washington Nationals and Commanders. Johnson's “claim to fame” began with his Nationals fandom, both in person and online. During the Nats’ 2019 World Series run, Johnson attended several games, capturing the eyes of Nationals Park with his dance moves and rowdy cheers.

When the 2020 pandemic hit, Johnson took to X (formerly Twitter) to post his thoughts about the team, the league, and everything baseball-related. 

“I just randomly started talking about the Nats on Twitter, and the tweets started blowing up,” Johnson said. “I realized that’s where my community is, so I just kept rolling with it.”

Worried about what could come of Major League Baseball’s 2022 Collective Bargaining Agreement with the MLB Players Association, Johnson feared the worst — a lockout that would rob him of a season of MLB entertainment. 

With baseball at the professional level in jeopardy — the two sides would eventually reach an agreement and the season went on as planned — Johnson started to look locally for opportunities to watch America’s pastime. 

“I started thinking, if I might not have professional baseball in 2022, I’ve got a whole lot of local baseball around me,” Johnson said. “I figured I’d better go out and support them.”

Johnson became a frequent attendee at Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium, as well as Prince George’s Stadium, the home of the Chesapeake Baysox, the AA affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles. His unmatched passion earned him a job as the Baysox’s in-game entertainment host.

“It’s been a really cool experience,” Johnson said. “It’s really fun with the different theme nights and all the promotions that we’ve had. Seeing all the players come through and go on to the big leagues is really cool.”

Johnson also works with Mount St. Mary’s as its in-game basketball host, but his main allegiance rests on the diamond. He grew up with a baseball background. His father played collegiate baseball at Central Michigan, sparking a love for the sport in Johnson from an early age. 

His crowning memory as a Maryland fan came in a 2024 home game against James Madison. The Dukes brought a large contingent of fans to College Park, and Johnson wasn’t having it. 

“They were trying to take over our ballpark,” Johnson said. “I personally was not having it. I was holding down the fort myself that game. It was crazy. We went back and forth on the field and in the stands. We ended up winning that game, too.”

Through ups and downs, Johnson’s flair and energy remain steadfast. In the era of the fairweather fan, he stands above the rest. Whether he’s supporting the Terps, the Baysox, the Nationals, or The Mount, he’s there for his teams through ups and downs. 

“It's been kind of a learning process for me, because I'm a very competitive person,” Johnson said. “I love to win, and I hate to lose. I always have this burning fire inside of me, but the last year or so, I've been learning to put that to the side, because I've been noticing that whether we win or lose, fans still have a good time. Fans still want to have fun. So, even if the score isn’t looking too good, I’ve got to give it my all to make sure that, if nothing else, I can be a silver lining and inspire people to come back to another game.”

The recent World Baseball Classic demonstrated the passion that baseball can bring out of a fan base. It’s one that Johnson looks to help recreate in College Park. The heartbeat of the Dirty Terps, Johnson’s passion flows through Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium and spreads joy and a love for baseball with everyone he meets. 

“I'm just a simple guy that likes to have a good time and loves baseball,” Johnson said. “I hope to see all y'all at Bob Turtle Smith Stadium this season, especially with the next weekend series against USC.”