Songs that refer to a sport without actually mentioning the name of a sport

Cafe Society
1

I’ve had the idea for this thread for quite a while, now.

John Fogerty’s “Centerfield” clearly refers to the game of baseball, yet the word “baseball” is not anywhere in the lyrics.

David Geddes’ “The Last Game of the Season (The Blind Man in the Bleachers)” is about a Friday night high school football game,

“The boy’s just not a hero. He’s strictly second-team.
Though he runs each night for touchdowns in his daddy’s sweetest dreams.”

but the word “football” is not mentioned anywhere in it.

There might not be too many, but let’s see how far this one can go.

2

The chorus of “Take Me Out to The Ball Game,” the only part of the song that is regularly sung, doesn’t mention baseball. It is mentioned in the introductory verse (which no one ever sings).

3

Not a song, but the most famous poem about baseball, Casey at the Bat, doesn’t mention the name of the sport.

4

Genesis - “Match of the Day” (soccer)
Bob Dylan - “Catfish” (baseball)

5

Does “Mrs. Robinson” count, even though it only mentions a baseball player? (“Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio, our nation turns its lonely eyes to you.”)

6

“Van Lingle Mungo” by Dave Frishberg (baseball)

“Backfield in Motion” by Mel and Tim (football)

7

“The Boxer,” Simon and Garfunkle
“Boom Boom Mancini,” Warren Zevon
“Hurricane,” Bob Dylan

8

Tom Cochrane’s “Big League” is about hockey, and never uses the word “hockey.”

Well, they do use the word “Boxer,” which is pretty close to “Box” or “Boxing.”

9

tons in rap.

“i catch a beat running like randy moss”

10

“Fight Fiercely Harvard” by Tom Lehrer.

11

“Night Game” by Paul Simon.

12

“Zanzibar” by Billy Joel

Rose, he knows he’s such a credit to the game
But the Yankees grab the headlines every time

13

Well, this thread gets credit for an assist in the fight against ignorance. I intended to post a Lennon lyric from Watching the Wheels, because I thought he sang

*Don’t you miss the big time boy you no longer run the ball *

According to a couple of lyrics sites, the lyric actually is:

*Don’t you miss the big time boy you’re no longer on the ball *

So, Double Dumbass on me.

However, I have another football nominee:

Meatloaf, All Revved Up With No Place to Go:
I was a varsity tackle and a hell of a block
Also, Paradise by the Dashboard Light has some baseball play by play commentary in the middle of the song, don’t remember if the word baseball is used, prolly can’t find out before edit window closes.

14

It doesn’t use the word baseball, according to this lyrics site

15

Air Supply-Making Love Out Of Nothing At All

16

“Blue Skies, Black Death” by Megadeth is about skydiving.

ZZ Top has claimed, tongue in cheek I imagine, that “Tube Snake Boogie” is really about surfing.

An awful lot of Dick Dale’s tunes are about surfing without using that word in the song.

17

Fountains of Wayne - All Kinds of Time

It’s about a quarterback having all kinds of time in the pocket, but I don’t recall the term football mentioned.

18

The lyrics to “Run Paint Run Run” by Captain Beefheart are so cryptic that it takes a few listenings to realize the song is about a horse race.

19

Dan Fogelberg-Run For The Roses. Slightly less cryptic.:wink:

20

How about Cake’s Going the Distance? I suppose it doesn’t count since it does mention “racing” a couple times, but that seems pretty vague still.