Cleveland County has caught baseball fever now that the American Legion Baseball World Series calls Shelby, NC home from August 17^th-21^st. I catch myself humming a hauntingly familiar melody that is baseball’s informal hymn.

In 1908, two songwriters from New York’s ‘Tin Pan Alley’ wrote the timeless tune, “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” Lyricist Jack Norworth and composer Albert von Tilzer worked together to create a song that would connect itself to the game eternally. Over the last 104 years, American culture assimilated “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” as baseball’s unofficial anthem. As tradition has it, between the top and bottom of the 7^th inning of a ballgame, a short break is taken for both the players and fans. During this time, the crowd finds a renewed inspiration stretching and singing which is where it got the nickname, ‘the 7^th inning stretch.’

Usually accompanied by organ, this song was first recorded by Edward Meeker in 1908. Since then, a long roster has performed this song, featuring names like Frank Sinatra, Harry Caray, and even the alternative rock band, the Goo Goo Dolls.

In 1941, the emergence of organists at baseball games swept the nation. These musicians could add magical dimensions to an otherwise rowdy stadium by improvising melodies and songs as the game was played. In the 1990s, many organists were out of work, being replaced by recorded music. Some stadiums have kept then tradition alive and feature live organists who watch the game from video monitors.