Hogettes of Washington Redskins fame call it quits

“I feel we were more beloved this past year than ever,” said Dave “Spiggy Hogette” Spigler, a realtor and retired Naval officer from Lusby who logged more than 20 years as a Hogette. “The number of requests for pictures at the game, the autographs — it’s in conjunction with the good feelings and the success of the team on the field. It goes hand-in-hand. When Redskins fans are happy and the team is winning, the Hogettes are loved. When we’re losing, we get blamed for their losses.”

Some of the NFL’s best-known fans require elaborate pregame prepping for their costumes — think of the ghouls from Oakland’s Black Hole.

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The Hogettes always kept things simple. But that didn’t mean it was easy to slip on a large frock and head into the testosterone cauldron of an NFL stadium.

“A lot of people think it’s kind of weird to see these grown men — and it’d be even weirder if they found out where these guys work — going out on a Sunday afternoon wearing dresses and pig noses,” Jacoby said.

“I was a little afraid to wear it at first,” Spigler admitted. “But once they gave me the big white hat that made me an official Hogette, I was just amazed at the love and the treatment and respect we had from the community.”

It would seem that a new era of on-field success is imminent, bringing with it new opportunities for the Hogettes. But Torbert retired from his job last month after having considered doing so for months.

He even went to last Sunday’s Seahawks game in civilian clothes with his son.

“It was nice to be just part of the burgundy and gold crowd, believe me,” he said.

Torbert was open to the possibility of a reunion for special occasions or extraordinary requests, but he said there will be no farewell season and he hopes his fellow members respect that decision.

“It’s a free country; obviously people can do whatever they want to,” he said, “but I would hope that wouldn’t happen.”

Like other Hogettes, Torbert was besieged on Friday; more than 20 phone calls, two television interviews and two radio interviews, all by the early afternoon.

(“It’s like the Stones breaking up,” joked Souder, who himself received three phone calls during a brief telephone interview.)

Torbert hadn’t expected that reaction. Then again, he hadn’t expected to spend much of his adult life in a wig and pig snout.

“You do stuff for a year, and then do stuff for another year, and then do some more stuff for another year, and all of the sudden you look back and 30 years went by,” he said. “I mean, to have so much interest in a bunch of guys in pig snouts and dresses just kind of amazes me, but whatever. It’s a crazy world in which we live.”

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