The Ballpark Organists

[Elvis]

Found a Wonderfull Link:

http://www.ballparktour.com/Organists.html

I grew up listening to Helen Dell in Dodger Stadium. She was great!

[Soxphotos]

Thank you for the link! Growing up with the White Sox, I foundly recall the days our family would arrive early for batting practice in White Sox Park (early 1970's). Nancy Faust would play song after song from the time the gates opened until the game was over. Hopefully baseball officials will keep the live organ music. In Chicago, the canned music blasted every 2 seconds is really bad. Nancy Faust is heard about 1/3 of the time. I wonder if stadium organists are being phased out everywhere.

For a sample of Nancy's music circa 1973 (and soon 1972), visit WWW.Chicago-Baseball-Photos.com Type letter 'F' then select Nancy Faust.

If anyone has sound clips from other stadiums it would be neat to hear them!

[west coast orange and black]

maybe the detroit tiger fans can straighten me out to this: on

i recall somewhat fuzzily that the organist at detroit, doing the 1968 world series against the st. louis cardinals, hit the keyboard just as denny mc clain was going into his motion. the sudden, loud blare caused mc clain to pause his motion, which resulted in a balk.

mickey (i got three) lolich and co took that series title, but i am pretty certain that mlb, before the following season, instituted rules governing when and when not an organist (or the team's sound system) could play music.

does anyone have better info on this?

[baclightning]

Originally Posted by west coast orange and black

maybe the detroit tiger fans can straighten me out to this: on

i recall somewhat fuzzily that the organist at detroit, doing the 1968 world series against the st. louis cardinals, hit the keyboard just as denny mc clain was going into his motion. the sudden, loud blare caused mc clain to pause his motion, which resulted in a balk.

mickey (i got three) lolich and co took that series title, but i am pretty certain that mlb, before the following season, instituted rules governing when and when not an organist (or the team's sound system) could play music.

does anyone have better info on this?

I just checked the boxscores for all seven games of the 1968 WS, and no balks were committed by either team during the entire series. McLain did not have any balks during the 1968 regular season, either. He was well known for playing the organ however, even recording a couple of albums...

[DODGER DEB]

WE grew up listening to OUR GLADYS GOODING everday at OUR EBBETS FIELD, in BROOKLYN!

I have been to most of the ballparks and have heard many organists, but I will tell you that OUR GLADYS had a unique style, that was hers alone, and she always made her organ music "grab you"....which it did, everyday!

SHE was truly ONE OF A KIND!!

c.

[Dizzy]

I wish that I could have lived in that era. The music that they play at Busch Stadium almost ruins the game for me. I have to bring a headset radio to avoid it.

[WillieKamm]

Nancy Faust is great and I think the White Sox are phasing her live music back in a little bit at the ball park. The canned music at all sporting events these days really leaves a lot to be desired. is how I feel about that. By the way, do any old time Chicago fans here remember organist Shay Torrent, who worked for the White Sox in the fifties and sixties? Shay and Nancy were and are the real deal. I envy you old time Dodger fans. I would have enjoyed hearing Gladys Gooding. I wonder are there any old newsreels or play by plays where she is recorded for posterity?

[DODGER DEB]

Originally Posted by WillieKamm

Nancy Faust is great and I think the White Sox are phasing her live music back in a little bit at the ball park. The canned music at all sporting events these days really leaves a lot to be desired. is how I feel about that. By the way, do any old time Chicago fans here remember organist Shay Torrent, who worked for the White Sox in the fifties and sixties? Shay and Nancy were and are the real deal. I envy you old time Dodger fans. I would have enjoyed hearing Gladys Gooding. I wonder are there any old newsreels or play by plays where she is recorded for posterity?

Gladys did infact make a recording, in the 50's, of OUR TEAM SONG "FOLLOW THE DODGERS" which she played as EBBETS FIELD opened each day. I have a 45 record of it. It was sold at OUR EBBETS FIELD.

I have seen it listed on e-Bay a few times, so perhaps you could keep an eye out for it.

c.

[Elvis]

After leaving the White Sox, Shay Torrent moved out west and became the organist for the California Angels in 1965 -- Where he remained until his retirement in 1986.

[west coast orange and black]

Originally Posted by baclightning

I just checked the boxscores for all seven games of the 1968 WS, and no balks were committed by either team during the entire series. McLain did not have any balks during the 1968 regular season, either. He was well known for playing the organ however, even recording a couple of albums...

thanx for straightening me out, baclightning. as i said, my recollection is fuzzy on this one. i gotta go look this one up rather than rely on my diminishing brain cells, because i know that a balk occurred and led to the rule creation.

maybe i tapped into mcclain because of his organ playing. haha. thanx again.

[Soxphotos]

Shay Torrent is pictured in a Hammond Times publication from 1960. It featured the new Hammond organ installed in Comiskey Park. The organ used to be placed in a perch in the center field bleachers. I think he came up with a few songs on the Sox in the 50's or 60's. The Hammond organ company used to really promote the fact that their equipment was used in comiskey Park.

[Chisox73]

Nancy Faust also put out a record of her organ music in the late 1970s.In 2005,Faust will be entering her 36th season as White Sox organist.

[tonypug]

Regarding Gladys Gooding, any of the tapes of old Brooklyn Dodger games include her doing the National Anthem and playing before during and after the game.

[LetsGoBucs]

Thanks for the link! I think with the new generation of ballparks and the state-of-the-art age coming along, ballpark organists are a forgotten part of a trip to the ballgame

[ColtscorrAL]

Gladys Gooding played "FOLLOW THE DODGERS" when the team took the field. Does anyone know of a link where I can hear that song again? She also played a similiar song for the Rangers when they took the ice. I loved the organ music.


Gladys Gooding is the answer to the trivia question WHO'S THE ONLY PERSON TO PLAY FOR THE DODGERS, RANGERS & KNICKS.

[POLO GROUNDS 1957]

Originally Posted by ColtscorrAL

Gladys Gooding played "FOLLOW THE DODGERS" when the team took the field. Does anyone know of a link where I can hear that song again? She also played a similiar song for the Rangers when they took the ice. I loved the organ music.


Gladys Gooding is the answer to the trivia question WHO'S THE ONLY PERSON TO PLAY FOR THE DODGERS, RANGERS & KNICKS.

Hello there are alot of brooklyn dodgers games out there on AUDIO CASSETTE AND CD. and they are from ebbets field with gladys gooding playing the organ. you mention about the NY RANGERS you should checkout this new group about the old madison square garden and the polo grounds group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/POLOGROUNDS1962
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/madisonsquaregarden1925

there is not alot out there from games played at the old MSG to hear her organ music from the old garden.up in canada they have a playoff hockey game from the old garden and part of another game from there. maybe one day they will show them on tv TAKE CARE DONALD DETROIT MI

[ColtscorrAL]

Thanks for the help and info. Joined the MSG group.

[jimmy cheese]

Originally Posted by DODGER DEB

Gladys did infact make a recording, in the 50's, of OUR TEAM SONG "FOLLOW THE DODGERS" which she played as EBBETS FIELD opened each day. I have a 45 record of it. It was sold at OUR EBBETS FIELD.

I have seen it listed on e-Bay a few times, so perhaps you could keep an eye out for it.

c.

Deb,

Was that the song that started "The infield, the outfield, the catcher and that fellow on the mound".

[1995hoo]

Originally Posted by jimmy cheese

Deb,

Was that the song that started "The infield, the outfield, the catcher and that fellow on the mound".

I think that was the third line, wasn't it? "Follow the Dodgers, the Dodgers around; the infield, the outfield, the catcher and that fellow on the mound."

[DODGER DEB]

Originally Posted by 1995hoo

I think that was the third line, wasn't it? "Follow the Dodgers, the Dodgers around; the infield, the outfield, the catcher and that fellow on the mound."

GLADYS played OUR SONG EVERY DAY at OUR EBBETS FIELD and it went like this....

THERE'S A BASEBALL CLUB IN BROOKLYN
A TEAM THEY CALL "DEM BUMS"
BUT KEEP YOUR EYE RIGHT ON THEM
AND WATCH FOR HITS AND RUNS.

Chorus

SO FOLLOW THE DODGERS
FOLLOW THE DODGERS AROUND
THE INFIELD, THE OUTFIELD,
THE CATCHER, AND THAT FELLOW ON THE MOUND.

OH THE FANS WILL COME A RUNNIN'
WHEN THE DODGERS GO A GUNNIN'
FOR THE GAME/PENNANT/SERIES THAT THEY'RE FIGHTING FOR TODAY -

SO DODGERS KEEP SWINGING
AND THE FANS WILL KEEP SINGING
FOLLOW THE DODGERS HOORAY!

Thanks for asking, jimmy cheese, and welcome to BBF!

c.

[jimmy cheese]

Those of you who patronize Ebbets field on a regular basis should get a kick out of this. I'm watching an old rerun of What's My Line last week and a little man with a tan suit comes out and signs in. I instantly said to my daughter "I know this man, I've seen his face a hundred times". She says "this show is from the fifties, he probably looks like somebody you knew. Well when they flashed his occupation it said "sells hot dogs at Ebbets Field". I can't remember how many I bought from him. At the end of his stint on the show he told John Daley what a wonderful man Harry M Stevens was. It was a riot!

Originally Posted by tonypug

Regarding Gladys Gooding, any of the tapes of old Brooklyn Dodger games include her doing the National Anthem and playing before during and after the game.

I have the 1949 World Series on tape and I'm sorry to say but I thought Gladys Gooding's singing of the national anthem was terrible. But I have to admit that I have very rarely heard the anthem sung well. If it must be played, I think it should played as an instrumental.

[tonypug]

Originally Posted by wamby

I have the 1949 World Series on tape and I'm sorry to say but I thought Gladys Gooding's singing of the national anthem was terrible. But I have to admit that I have very rarely heard the anthem sung well. If it must be played, I think it should played as an instrumental.

We never said she could sing, but she plays the organ very well. When us old Brooklyn fans hear her voice, it's the most beautiful voice in the world because it brings us back to Ebbets Field and some wondeful memories.

[64Cards]

The organ music is getting phased out here too. Playing extremely loud head banger rock or rap between innings, it's hard to to have a conversation w/the person next to you, without having to almost yell. At Rams games in that awful dome, during the tv timeouts, they blast commercials over the pa. At least at home I have my remote. Click.

[tonypug]

Originally Posted by 64Cards

The organ music is getting phased out here too. Playing extremely loud head banger rock or rap between innings, it's hard to to have a conversation w/the person next to you, without having to almost yell. At Rams games in that awful dome, during the tv timeouts, they blast commercials over the pa. At least at home I have my remote. Click.

For some reason baseball teams seem to think they have to create the same atmosphere as there is at NBA games. It's two different worlds, but as we know right now MLB is in denial.