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February 18, 2021
THE MUSIC OF BASEBALL, PART TWO
It started when I wrote a blog about baseball’s National Anthem, “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” I followed it with another blog, highlighting the Music of Baseball, four classic tunes about our great game. But there were still more, so I decided to do it again and give you The Music of Baseball, Part Two. Here are four additional baseball songs that I think you’ll enjoy. You can not only listen, but you can see some great images as well. And this time we’re featuring a wide variety of performers. Whether you know them or not, I think you’ll thoroughly enjoy their offerings. So once again I play the role of disk jockey and here we go.
Leading off, the first selection is called VAN LINGLE MUNGO, written in 1969 and performed by the composer, Dave Frishberg. Mungo was a right-handed pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants who won 120 games between 1931 and 1945. But the song isn’t really about him. Rather, it’s about his name and the names of many other former ballplayers. So take a walk down memory lane with Frishberg and some great images to go with the names of the players.
Up next is a song of more recent vintage, but it still features some great images of the old game we all loved. It’s called CENTERFIELD and was written by John Fogerty in 1985 and also performed by him. For those who don’t remember or know him, Fogerty was the lead singer in the popular group called Creedence Clearwater Revival that had a number of big hits in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He finally left the group to perform as a single and this was one of his first solo hits. Again, there are some great old images along with the music.
In the third spot this time we have a song about a ballplayer we all know and love, Willie Mays. The Say Hey Kid will turn 90 years old in May and is currently baseball’s oldest living Hall of Famer, a guy many people now call the greatest ever. The song is aptly called, SAY HEY (THE WILLIE MAYS SONG) and is performed by the Treniers. The Treniers were an R&B and jump blues group that began performing back in 1947. The song was originally released in 1955 and includes some dialogue from Willie himself. It was also included on the soundtrack of the Ken Burns 1994 documentary, Baseball. So what else can we say except, Say Hey.
The cleanup hitter in our selection of four songs is a no-brainer. It’s the master himself, Frank Sinatra, and his hauntingly beautiful tribute to old ballparks everywhere that are no longer standing. It’s aptly called THERE USED TO BE A BALLPARK, and was written by Joe Raposo in 1973. Sinatra first recorded it for his album Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back, also in 1973. Like so many of us, Frank was also a big baseball fan and he sings the song with his own special brand of emotion. (Yes, I’m a big Sinatra fan myself.) The song was used in the HBO documentary, Brooklyn Dodgers: Ghosts of Flatbush, and was also played over the PA system at the conclusion of the final Atlanta Braves game ever at Turner Field on October 2, 2016.
Bill Gutman
As always, we enjoy reading your comments
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Man, you are relentless with these gems– priceless songs and images. Lucky we did our snow removal before I delved into this. Just some random thoughts, loved the whole thing.
For years, I thought it was Van Lingo Mungo–and I wasn’t alone.
Centerfield with John Fogerty. When WJDM went on the air in ’70, Jerry Carroll (Crazy Eddie TV spots) and I convinced the GM to play CCR’s “Lookin’ Out My Backdoor.” No drugs. Inspired by a Dr. Seuss book and penned by John for his three year-old son.
Al Gionfriddo robbing DiMag at the 415′ sign and Joe in a rare display of emotion…Willie with the Wertz catch (Larry Doby once said he would have caught it easily, Mays made it look too hard.)
The Treniers- Say, Hey Willie…”That’s Irvins’ ball.”
Berra going nuts when Robinson was called safe. If Yogi was that convinced, he was probably out…Mays playing stick ball with the kids…Dale Mitchell taking a called third strike to wrap Larson’s no-hitter. But it was a ball, right?
There Used to be a Ball Park…Poignant stuff, especially Campy in the wheel chair. Sinatra in the LA Dodger hat.
Thanks!
Hey Bill. It’s sure been a snow removal winter, hasn’t it? Actually miss shoveling because I always loved the cold and winter weather. But with the knees, can no longer do. Then you made me laugh. For years I, too, thought he was Van Lingo Mungo until I had occasion to look him up one day. Say it fast and it sure sounds like that.
Also thought the songs and images were great. I sure remember those Crazy Eddie ads. His prices can’t be beat. But never knew the pitchman’s real name. Was he a friend of yours? The video of Joe kicking the dirt after Gionfriddo’s catch is a classic. Doby’s reaction to Willie’s catch is interesting. Don’t really think Willie made it look harder than it was. When I did the book with Bobby Thomson that he felt he would have also made that catch. He was apparently a pretty good centerfielder with speed. But it’s an easy thing to say in hindsight.
Until his dying day Yogi insisted Jackie was out. I’ve seen some closeups that make it look as if he was safe and others where it appears he was out. Where was instant replay when we really needed it. I was in junior high in 1956 and used to take a town bus home. It dropped me off on a street corner of a main road just outside a big drug store with a old-fashioned soda fountain. Above the soda fountain was a small television. I raced into the store just as Dale Mitchell came to bat. When I realized it was a perfect game my legs actually began shaking. And, yes, that final pitch was probably a ball. As for Frank, nobody does it better and that song can really get to you.
The nice thing are the memories triggered by this kind of stuff and we all have stories we love to share with fellow fans from our generation, or even others who will listen. So glad you enjoyed.
Bill
What a wonderful post, best one yet to stir the emotions. The tears are flowing, what great memories. There was something about the 50’s Dodgers that was burned in my brain eternally. We shall not see their like again.
Hi again Dennis. You’re right, things like these videos with great images really bring back memories of years past and trigger a lot of strong feelings. The 1950s Dodgers were truly special. The funny thing is that as a kid and a Yankees fan I always rooted against then. And when they finally beat the Yankees in 1955 I was about to turn 13 and was devastated. But I came to love that team and the players. When I did the book with Bobby Thomson back in 1990 I remember his wife telling me that she never truly knew how special those Dodgers teams were or how much they meant to the borough of Brooklyn until she began going to reunions with Bobby. And you’re right, there will never be anything quite like it again, where a community was so close to the players. They interacted everywhere — on the streets, in restaurants, at the movies, and at church. It was a special relationship for sure. And a really great baseball team.
Bill
Bill, thanks again for your comprehensive responses to fans comments. Jerry Carroll and I were music personalities on the new Elizabeth, NJ radio station in 1970 (I was also the Program Director and did football and baseball play-by-play). We were both introspective, sensitive types and he would let me know if he thought I mispronounced a word on the air. Usually I could justify my pronunciation. Fun and games on a local station. But I generally liked Jerry and we had some good talks about radio philosophy. He was a talented guy.
I chalk up the Thomson and Doby assessments about the Mays’ catch to out and out jealousy. Bobby was a pedestrian centerfielder who came in on a ball well–but I never saw him catch a ball with his back to the plate. Neither did my dad. We used to joke about it. Willie seldom missed anything that he tracked in the wide open spaces of the Polo Grounds. Mays was other worldly out there.
Good points about the Brooklyn fan/player camaraderie. A special time, for sure.
Best, Bill
Jerry sure didn’t seem introspective when he did the Crazy Eddie ads, Bill. That’s for sure. But it sure sounds you had some good times together. I really enjoyed my days as Sports Editor in Greenwich, CT. Was a young, single guy then and didn’t mind working seven days a week. I left because I was getting married and small town newspapers didn’t pay worth a damn back then. But can’t complain about the many years of writing, which I’m still doing and probably will continue until I simply can’t anymore. Enough of that.
Thomson and Doby might have been jealous of Willie, or it also could have been the athlete’s ego that often says I can do it better. I don’t quite remember Bobby as a centerfielder, but I’m sure your assessment is an accurate one. And you’re right, Willie was other worldly out there. No one really like him, even today.
Keep writing and making comments. Always enjoy our back and forths.
Bill
Bill,
Yeah, the “back and forths” are what it’s all about.
Just one more tidbit about Mays. He was a solid wall of muscle. The story goes that when they did an early physical exam on him, one of the tests involved Willie lying face down on the training table. The jaws of a vernier caliper were then used to pinch a minute portion of flesh from his back for analysis. The machine could not pinch any excess flesh! The test was not performed.
Don’t retire any time soon, my wife and I will handle the snow removal.