“And there used to be a ballpark - Where the field was warm and green. And the people played their crazy game - With a joy I'd never seen.”
- There Used To Be A Ballpark lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc, The Joe Raposo Music Group Inc
I was recently thinking of the many baseball parks in which I have had the privilege to watch games. Some have been major league and several minor league parks as well. Each has brought their own sense of joy and uniqueness to their team and games. So, the idea hit me, perhaps I should write, from time to time about the ones I’ve been in as well as some of the classic parks of the past.
The idea appealed to me, and the more I thought about it, I knew I ‘d have to say something about this song which I had heard so many years ago. An aside, I also have it on my Spotify Playlist that I listen to while traveling to my games (more on that in a future post). It’s a song composed by Joe Raposo which was recorded by the late Frank Sinatra; how can you go wrong? Baseball and “Ol’ Blue Eyes”, great combination. This song actually was on Frank’s 1973 album, “Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back”.
The song is “There Used to Be a Ballpark”. It is often said, it was written about the Brooklyn Dodgers and the fabled, Ebbets Field. However, Joe Raposo once said in an interview, that it’s actually about the Polo Grounds which housed the New York Giants (and the New York Yankees, prior to Yankee Stadium being built and even though it was condemned, the New York Mets played there for their first two seasons prior to Shea Stadium’s opening). If you listen to the words, “the old team just isn’t playing, and the new team hardly tries” you realize he’s talking about the Giants and Mets.
Yes, Raposo was being specific about baseball memories and the location, but this song touches many fans who have lost the ballparks of their youth. The old parks, with their history and physical quirks that largely have been replaced by modern concrete venues, which of course seat more folks.
This song can also be a metaphor of any loss and its memories. Music can take me back to other times and the remembrance of people long gone from my life; very similar to baseball in that regard. But let’s not get too philosophical, right now. This is just meant as an introduction (and a teaser) of some posts that will be appearing in the very near future on Friday’s. In the meantime, sit back, relax and listen to Frank sing:
"There Used to Be A Ball Park" - Click Here.
Hope you enjoy it!
On a personal note, the line “And the summer went so quickly this year” really hit home. Probably due to the fact baseball started towards the end of July in 2020 and was a shortened season with only 60 regular season games. I think too as we age, our happy times tend to move by rather swiftly. Not that I concede anything to “aging”.
Let me know what you think of the idea, which park(s) were or are your favorite and if you’d like me to cover a particular one. A shout out to whoever guesses the first park I’m going to cover!
~ Coach Mike
- There Used To Be A Ballpark lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc, The Joe Raposo Music Group Inc
I was recently thinking of the many baseball parks in which I have had the privilege to watch games. Some have been major league and several minor league parks as well. Each has brought their own sense of joy and uniqueness to their team and games. So, the idea hit me, perhaps I should write, from time to time about the ones I’ve been in as well as some of the classic parks of the past.
The idea appealed to me, and the more I thought about it, I knew I ‘d have to say something about this song which I had heard so many years ago. An aside, I also have it on my Spotify Playlist that I listen to while traveling to my games (more on that in a future post). It’s a song composed by Joe Raposo which was recorded by the late Frank Sinatra; how can you go wrong? Baseball and “Ol’ Blue Eyes”, great combination. This song actually was on Frank’s 1973 album, “Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back”.
The song is “There Used to Be a Ballpark”. It is often said, it was written about the Brooklyn Dodgers and the fabled, Ebbets Field. However, Joe Raposo once said in an interview, that it’s actually about the Polo Grounds which housed the New York Giants (and the New York Yankees, prior to Yankee Stadium being built and even though it was condemned, the New York Mets played there for their first two seasons prior to Shea Stadium’s opening). If you listen to the words, “the old team just isn’t playing, and the new team hardly tries” you realize he’s talking about the Giants and Mets.
Yes, Raposo was being specific about baseball memories and the location, but this song touches many fans who have lost the ballparks of their youth. The old parks, with their history and physical quirks that largely have been replaced by modern concrete venues, which of course seat more folks.
This song can also be a metaphor of any loss and its memories. Music can take me back to other times and the remembrance of people long gone from my life; very similar to baseball in that regard. But let’s not get too philosophical, right now. This is just meant as an introduction (and a teaser) of some posts that will be appearing in the very near future on Friday’s. In the meantime, sit back, relax and listen to Frank sing:
"There Used to Be A Ball Park" - Click Here.
Hope you enjoy it!
On a personal note, the line “And the summer went so quickly this year” really hit home. Probably due to the fact baseball started towards the end of July in 2020 and was a shortened season with only 60 regular season games. I think too as we age, our happy times tend to move by rather swiftly. Not that I concede anything to “aging”.
Let me know what you think of the idea, which park(s) were or are your favorite and if you’d like me to cover a particular one. A shout out to whoever guesses the first park I’m going to cover!
~ Coach Mike
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