Take Me Out to the Ball Game
An American Classic Written By Jack Norworth
Jack Norworth
Jack wrote the "Take me out to the Ball Game" in 1908 while on a train ride to Manhattan, New York. He spotted a sign that read, "Ballgame Today at the Polo Grounds" and got to work on a scrap piece of paper!
- It took him 15 minutes to write the classic.
- He was born in Philadelphia on January 5, 1879 and died on September 1, 1959.
- He did not attend his first ball game until June 27, 1940. That's 32 years after writing the song!!!
- He was a respected songwriter who wrote of 2,500 songs and appeared in broadway musicals.
- He revised the song in 1927.
- On the 50th anniversary of the song, MLB presented him with a gold lifetime member ball park pass.
Albert Von Tilzer
Albert composed the music for Jack's, "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." It was published by the York Music Company.
- Had never been to a baseball game at the time the song was completed.
- Born on March 29, 1878 in Indianapolis, Indiana and died October 1, 1956.
- He was a composer as well as a song director early in his career.
America In 1908
- First year a ball drops for the New Year in Times Squares.
- Henry Ford's first Model T comes off the line from Detroit, Michigan.
- Theodore Roosevelt is president.
- A 46th star is added to the Flag (for Oklahoma).
- William Taft wins the November election.
- Chicago Cubs win the the World Series.
Events Surrounding the Popularity of the Song
- Records, sheet music, and piano rolls had such high sale rates that the song became one of the most popular hits of 1908.
- The song was first sung by Nora Bayes, Jack's then-wife, and popularized by many other vaudeville acts.
- The song was played at a ball park for the first known time in 1934, at a high-school ball game in Los Angeles. Researchers think the song made its debut at a major-league park later that year.
- "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" was chosen by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Recording Industry Association of America as one of the 365 top "Songs of the Century."
Modern Day Use
- In 2006, Jim Burke authored and illustrated a children's book version of "Take Me Out To The Ball Game."
- The seventh-inning stretch is marked during professional baseball games by playing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” usually the crowd is encouraged to sing along!
What do Frank Sinatra, Liberace, Stan Musial, Harpo Marx, LL Cool J, Harry Caray and Carly Simon have in common?
*FUN FACTS*
- Became the second most widely sung song in America (second only to the National Anthem).
- "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" is sung during the 7th inning stretch at nearly every ball park in the country.
- The first known playing of the song in a big league ballpark came during the 1934 World Series, when the St. Louis Cardinals band, led by Pepper Martin, played it on the field before a game.
- It has been covered by over 500 recording artists and used in television and the movies over 1,200 times.
- The beloved baseball song is played somewhere 365 days of every year, as verified by ASCAP data.
- The verses in the song are about a girl, Katie Casey, wanting to go out to the ball game.
Take Me Out To The Ballgame
Presented by LJ, Jillian, Rachel, Charlee, and Amber
References
- http://baseballhall.org/news/history/take-me-out-ball-game
- http://www.baseball-almanac.com/poetry/po_stmo.shtml
- http://njjewishnews.com/njjn.com/030107/sptsRootRootRoot.html
- http://songwritershalloffame.org/exhibits/C267
- http://www.historyorb.com/events/date/1908
- http://www.music-for-music-teachers.com/images/take-me-out-to-the-ballgame-notereader-g.png
- http://www.embracingthechild.org/bstakemeout.jpg