Additional trivia:
According to a 2001 NPR report, in order to purchase equivalent advertising for Cracker Jack at baseball stadiums (they use billboard advertising to compare), it would cost the Frito Lay company $25 million per year.
Tradition can be a powerful thing.
For anyone that’s interested, the report can be found here . A link on the left hand side is the report on the commercial value of the lyric “Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack”.
Wow, I thought the singing of TMOTTBG was as set in stone as a seven game World Series, despite the addition of God Bless America.
And I’d like to add that it was a billboard advertising the Giants that Norworth and Tilzer spotted, placing us in yet another hallowed spot in baseball history.
Of all the parks I have been to (both New Yorks, KC, Kingdome, St. Louis, Comiskey, might be some more I’m forgetting) none sing along with as much spirit as people do when they’re at Wrigley.
Harry Caray, the Cubs broadcaster, would lead the crowd in TMOTBG. After he died prior to the 98 season, the Cubs started bringing in different guests to lead the crowd.
Ronin Tynan (sp?), the “Irish Tenor,” has been singing “God Bless America” after TMOTBG at Yankee Stadium. Just tonight the announcers mentioned that the visiting teams weren’t big fans of this because the pitcher had to wait longer. The announcers also pointed out that the Yankees have scored more runs in the bottom of the 7th than in any other during the post-season.
And tonight Giambi tagged a homer in that inning.
One more thing to add to this discussion: I’ve been to several extra-extra inning games at different ballparks and they’ve always done a fourteenth-inning stretch complete with a rendition Take Me Out… Of course, concessions are long closed by then so the “buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jack” line is just wishful thinking.
As far as I know, the Toronto Blue Jays are the only team that doesn’t play Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the 7th Inning Stretch. Instead, they play some Blue Jays theme song. Why, I have no idea, but it certainly isn’t the first time Canadians have done something differently for no apparent reason…
I am proud to state that I am a alumnus of Manhattan College (“The Home of Leisurely Learning”), which began the tradition of the seventh inning stretch:
Manhattan College Sports - Brother Jasper
Manhattan College was also famous for rather odd team names derived from “Jasper” (Jasboots, Jaspucks).
Quite frankly, us students in the Engineering department at the time (and perhaps even now they still are) were kinda apathetic to the college’s sports teams, except the Basketball team which was halfway decent at the time.
Haven’t been to a Mariners game since 1981. Guess things have changed a bit. :smack:
The Jays play “OK, Blue Jays!” (or whatever it’s called) followed by TMOTTBG during the 7th inning stretch. They also played “God Bless America” during the stretch at the home opener this year (it was mandated by MLB for some reason).
Aside: My favourite bit from ESPN’s review of Skydome:
That’s pretty cool. Thanks.