Mr. Gagunga 

in strict terms, refers to a type of baseball dad in Villa Park, IL. Typically, he is middle aged and often implies that he has the benefit of some kind of vague, construction-oriented employment situation that allows him to "cut out early" so he can attend his son's games. "Mr. Gagunga" is considered a dubious social role, a peculiar individual who is dependent on yet contributes to the social fabrics of the youth baseball and local tavern communities. Regarding fashion aesthetics, his look is one of utility with a focus on comfort. Threadbare t-shirts from beer bracket softball teams, and mesh caps (worn without irony) are common, as are knock-off Oakley sunglasses. A curiously high-pitched voice--which belies his physcial demeanor--is typical. While almost always well-intentioned, the behavior of Mr. Gagunga falls within a range between acceptable and ill-advised. For example, he will invariably grab an old mitt, turn his mesh-backed cap backwards, and position himself behind home plate to warm up his son when he pitches, even though the team's catcher is geared-up and ready. Also, he will often convince his boss to sponsor his son's teams, though it is never entirely clear from the name of the company in what industry they do business. Mr. Gagunga is known to be a very loose with foul language around players and their families, though this is slightly mitigated by the fact that he consistently brings the best post-game snacks and beverages for the team.

Kid: "Mr. Gagunga says he' gonna show Davey how to throw a slider."

Dad: "What Mr. Gagunga needs to do is show Davey how to throw strikes and work on fundamentals."

Mr. Gagunga by Davey Gagunga December 11, 2011