Take Me Out to the Ball Game

I know, I still owe a trip blog but that's just too daunting right now.

Instead, I thought I would do a bit of history from our nation's favorite past time - baseball. Will loves to sing (sort of)/listen to Take Me Out to the Ball Game.  It is one of the few things that will get him to stay still on the changing table.  He also likes to add a few words like Ca-ca (cracker jack) and Deee-Dah (D-Backs, sorry Padres fans, it's easier to say for a 15 month old).  The song almost always gets a smile from him.  While I was looking for some piano music for it, since Will also loves the piano, I found some history on the song.  I decided to share it, since I don't think many people know the best part of it...... the song is meant to be sung from the point of view of a woman!  I love it!  Here is the story and some lyrics thanks to www.baseball-almanac.com:

In 1858, the first known baseball song was written, "The Base Ball Polka!"  It was not quite as famous as Jack Norworth's 1908 classic, "Take Me Out to the Ball Game", which was written on some scrap paper on a train ride to Manhattan, New York.  Norworth then provided those paper scrap lyrics to Albert Von Tolzer who composed the music which in turn was published by the York Music Company and before the year was over, a hit song was born.

Jack Norworth was a very successful vaudeville entertainer/songwriter ad spent 15 minutes writing this classic which is sung during the 7th inning stretch at nearly every ball park in the country.  In 1927, he changed some lyrics and a 2nd version appeared.  

Below are some lyrics from the 1908 version:

Katie Casey was base ball mad

Had the fever and had it bad;

Just to root for the home town crew,

Ev'ry sou Katie blew.

On a Saturday, the young beau

Called to see if she'd like to go

To see a show but Miss Kate said,

"No I'll tell you what you can do."

"Take me out to the ball game,

Take me out with the crowd.

Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack,

I don't care if I never get back,

Let me root, root, root for the home team,

If they don't win it's a shame.

For it's one, two, three strikes, you're out,

At the old ball game.

For full lyrics to both versions of the song - Click Here.

One last interesting tidbit - Jack Norworth did not attend his first Major League Baseball game until 1940.