Play ball - songs about the 'great American pastime'

2012-04-25 14:40

分享到

 

Get Flash Player

Download

The 2012 North American baseball season is under way. But, many people may not realize there is a history of music that celebrates the Great American Pastime.

Play ball - songs about the 'great American pastime'

It's not uncommon for musicians to play a concert in the outfield of a baseball stadium-but how about scheduling tour dates around baseball? After all, why visit Boston when the Red Sox are out of town, if it's possible to arrange a gig during a home stand?

That's what Mandolinist Sam Bush has been known to do. Sam's team is the St. Louis Cardinals, and he's such a fan that he wrote a song about the Cards great Ozzie Smith on his "King of My World" CD. Sam's tribute to the now retired back-flipping shortstop is called "The Wizard of Oz."

Baseball has been celebrated in song almost since the first pitch was tossed. "The Baseball Polka" was written in the late 1850s. Since then, baseball songwriters have included Irving Berlin and Bruce Springsteen, with Frank Sinatra and Meat Loaf among the singers praising the game.

Bob Dylan wrote a baseball song, too. It was about the late pitcher "Catfish" Hunter, not only one of the best pitchers ever, but one of the most important to those enjoying multi-million-dollar playing contracts today.

Catfish Hunter was one of baseball's most dominant pitchers during a 15-year career that brought him five World Series rings with the Oakland Athletics and the New York Yankees. He also strung together five straight 20-victory seasons, pitched a perfect game, and also won a Cy Young Award, given annually to the most outstanding pitcher in each of the two major leagues.

But Catfish Hunter is also remembered for what Bob Dylan just sang about: signing a five-year, $3.75 million contract with the Yankees in 1975, making him the games first multi-millionaire player. Catfish retired after the 1978 season, and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987. If you ever pay a visit to those hallowed halls, you might see Bob Dylan's autographed album featuring the song "Catfish".

Singer-songwriter Chuck Brodsky is known for including a baseball tune or two on his albums, and even released a collection of just baseball ballads. "Moe Berg: The Song" is the story of a real life Dodgers player in their pre-Los Angeles days, when they called Brooklyn, New York home. Moe Berg lived a double life: baseball slugger and American spy.

The most famous baseball song ever written sprang from a quite unlikely source. When Jack Norworth wrote "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" in 1908, he had never even been to a major league game. But inspiration struck on a subway train as he stared at an advertisement. And the rest, as they say, is history.

This is Sam Bush's version of the classic baseball tune. A few years ago, he had the opportunity to play it during the seventh inning stretch (a break) at a St. Louis Cardinals game. Sam says he'll never forget standing on top of the dugout and hearing thousands of fans singing the words as he played the tune on his mandolin.

dugout: either of two usually sunken shelters at the side of a field where the players stay while not on the field 棒球场边供球员休息的地方

Related stories:

Baseball manager builds winning team unconventionally in 'Moneyball'

"The art of fielding" is a novel about baseball and much more

Older American women play baseball, competitively

Babe Ruth, 1895-1948: America's greatest baseball player

(来源:VOA 编辑:旭燕)

 

分享到

中国日报网英语点津版权说明:凡注明来源为“中国日报网英语点津:XXX(署名)”的原创作品,除与中国日报网签署英语点津内容授权协议的网站外,其他任何网站或单位未经允许不得非法盗链、转载和使用,违者必究。如需使用,请与010-84883561联系;凡本网注明“来源:XXX(非英语点津)”的作品,均转载自其它媒体,目的在于传播更多信息,其他媒体如需转载,请与稿件来源方联系,如产生任何问题与本网无关;本网所发布的歌曲、电影片段,版权归原作者所有,仅供学习与研究,如果侵权,请提供版权证明,以便尽快删除。

中国日报网双语新闻

扫描左侧二维码

添加Chinadaily_Mobile
你想看的我们这儿都有!

中国日报双语手机报

点击左侧图标查看订阅方式

中国首份双语手机报
学英语看资讯一个都不能少!

关注和订阅

本文相关阅读
人气排行
搜热词
 
 
精华栏目
 

阅读

词汇

视听

翻译

口语

合作

 

关于我们 | 联系方式 | 招聘信息

Copyright by chinadaily.com.cn. All rights reserved. None of this material may be used for any commercial or public use. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. 版权声明:本网站所刊登的中国日报网英语点津内容,版权属中国日报网所有,未经协议授权,禁止下载使用。 欢迎愿意与本网站合作的单位或个人与我们联系。

电话:8610-84883645

传真:8610-84883500

Email: languagetips@chinadaily.com.cn