Baseball questions

[bcla]

I also thought it was for those fans that want a restroom break before the mass exodus from the stadium after the game is over.

Traditionally, I thought they played "Take Me out to the Ballgame" during the stretch.

That was started by Harry Caray with the White Sox. Not sure when it became something that was done at every MLB game.

I remember when they had 7 inning regulation doubleheaders when doing makeup games. Not quite sure what they did for a break. However, I think the alcohol sales don't stop at the first game. They certainly didn't stop when there were 9 inning doubleheaders during the first game.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

That song is one of the best traditions in baseball. We visited Fenway for the first time in 2017 and being a forever Red Sox fan from afar it was truly an amazing experience.

When I watch the video from that night while seated in our Green Monster seats it still gives me chills.

Here is the back story to how it all started -

"The song became a tradition because of a baby. That's right, a baby. During a game in 1997, a Fenway employee named Amy Tobey was in charge of the music played at the ballpark. She played “Sweet Caroline” over the speakers as an homage to a friend who had just given birth to a sweet baby Caroline."

After a game, it’s fun, too!

 

[hertamaniac]

That was started by Harry Caray with the White Sox. Not sure when it became something that was done at every MLB game.

I remember when they had 7 inning regulation doubleheaders when doing makeup games. Not quite sure what they did for a break. However, I think the alcohol sales don't stop at the first game. They certainly didn't stop when there were 9 inning doubleheaders during the first game.

I knew that Harry Caray got credited for it, but not sure he was the first.

It's hard for me to imagine them completely closing down alcohol/beer sales in between double-headers regardless of inning length. I don't recall ever being at a MLB double-header so I could be wrong.

 

[_19disnA]

While it has been years since I last attended a baseball game, I can't recall any specific 7th inning music. Maybe that relates more to the history of certain ballparks? If the game was a run-away, we would often leave early to avoid the crowds/traffic when everyone tries to exit at the same time. Football is similar. But some stadiums have a better setup to facilitate large numbers of people exiting and the parking situation is setup to handle large crowds.

Older ball parks were often downtown and the parking was all over the place with no large/central place to park.

 

[AppleDumpling]

I thought the Yankees stopped playing God Bless America, or did they just dump Kate Smith’s version and replace it with another?

Yes, Kate Smith was “cancelled” by the Yankees (and the Philadelphia Flyers) for allegedly being racist. Similarly, Ronan Tynan was dropped after making anti-Semitic remarks. They’ve had an organ version and occasional guest singers, but I believe now mostly use a recording of the late Robert Merrill (who sang the national anthem live for years).

 

[Lord Manhammer]

The Mexican hat dance is the cha cha slide of baseball games. It’s annoying as hell but it gets the audience moving.

I’ll also mention that other sports use organs too. Little caesars arena in Detroit jnstalled a huge pipe organ when they built it a few years ago and they host hockey and basketball there.

 

[hertamaniac]

While it has been years since I last attended a baseball game, I can't recall any specific 7th inning music. Maybe that relates more to the history of certain ballparks? If the game was a run-away, we would often leave early to avoid the crowds/traffic when everyone tries to exit at the same time. Football is similar. But some stadiums have a better setup to facilitate large numbers of people exiting and the parking situation is setup to handle large crowds.

Older ball parks were often downtown and the parking was all over the place with no large/central place to park.

Although I think there has been a transition over the past decade or so to more downtown MLB baseball stadiums. I look at Cleveland, Baltimore, Detroit (#1 IMO), Colorado, San Diego off the top of my head.

 

[bcla]

I knew that Harry Caray got credited for it, but not sure he was the first.

It's hard for me to imagine them completely closing down alcohol/beer sales in between double-headers regardless of inning length. I don't recall ever being at a MLB double-header so I could be wrong.

At the very least Harry Caray was the one who started doing it every game in the middle of the seventh inning. I'm thinking someone might have played or sung it at an MLB game before then, but perhaps not as a regular thing.

I've been to a couple of 14 inning games. Maybe a couple of doubleheaders. But they might have been from a time when there might not have been a designated alcohol cutoff point. They would likely just shut it down when it seemed close to the end of the game.

 

[_19disnA]

Cleveland used to have a huge stadium for football/baseball downtown, but right on Lake Erie next to that small airport. I think it was that way for YEARS. More recently, they demolished that stadium and built a smaller one a couple miles away but still downtown. The Detroit football stadium used to be in the suburbs, but I believe that place was demolished and both football/baseball are now played in the downtown area. As I recall baseball was always downtown (at least in our lifetimes !!!) Those are two places I can recall attending games over the years.

 

[bcla]

Cleveland used to have a huge stadium for football/baseball downtown, but right on Lake Erie next to that small airport. I think it was that way for YEARS. More recently, they demolished that stadium and built a smaller one a couple miles away but still downtown. The Detroit football stadium used to be in the suburbs, but I believe that place was demolished and both football/baseball are now played in the downtown area. As I recall baseball was always downtown (at least in our lifetimes !!!) Those are two places I can recall attending games over the years.

You mean "The Mistake by the Lake"?

 

[Forevermarypoppins]

The 7th inning stretch became a thing when then President Howard Taft got up from his seat during the 7th inning. As these were days of greater decorum, the crowd also rose from their seats. There are other theories out there. I like this one best!!

 

[hertamaniac]

MLB Jacobs Field, now called Progressive Park, is in downtown Cleveland proper amongst the high rises. MLB Comerica Park in Detroit is more downtown than it's predecessor.

The previous Cleveland stadium was less downtown than the current stadium.