Baseball Poems
A lot of people, professional writers or not, have written numerous books about every detail and aspects of a baseball game. However, of the many things written about baseball, baseball poems are one of the most popular topics.
Perhaps one of the world’s most famous baseball poems is Casey at the Bat that was written by Ernest Thayer. The history of this classic baseball poem takes us down to memory lane, way back in 1885. Aspiring senator George Hearst bought the San Francisco Examiner, a publication based from California, mainly to promote Heart’s brand of politics. After completing the election, his son William Randolph Hearst took over the publication because he had enough experience of editing while he was still at Harvard College. The moment he took over the company, he brought with him former officemates from the Harvard Lampoon, the official publication of the Harvard College. Among the three writers was Ernest L. Thayer, who was popular with his pen name Phin.
On the June 3, 1888 issue of the publication, the Examiner, Phin emerged as the author of a particular poem known today as Casey at the Bat. However, that baseball poem has not received a lot of attention. Few weeks later, it was again published on the New York Sun, although there was no known author of the said poem. During that time, New Yorker Archibald Gunter clipped the said poem and saved it, hoping to make something out of it on the near future. After that, Gunter found another article that described an upcoming performance by comedian and personal friend De Wolf Hopper. Some of the members of the audience were members of the Chicago and the New York ball clubs. The Casey and the Bat baseball poem was then shared to the audience, and as they say, the rest is history.
The poem has then become very popular. In fact, different versions of baseball poems derived from the Casey in the Bat have been written. Versions of this very famous baseball poem include Casey at the Bat: The Road Game written by Garrison Keillor, Casey in the Box by Meyer Berger, Casey-Twenty Years Later by Clarence P. McDonald, Casey’s Revenge by Grantland Rice. Other versions also include Destiny, Ah Fate, Mighty Reggie has Struck Out!, by Jule Loh, Finding Casey’s Card by Robert. L. Harrison, He Never Heard of Casey!, by Grantland Rice, Hrbek at the Bat by Phil Bolsta, Kasey at the Bat: A Communist Fable by Robert L. Harrison, Mookie at the Bat by Mark. Leff, Mudville’s Fate by Grantland Rice, The Cubs Last Game by Bill Kirl, and The Man Who Fanned Casey in which no author has been accounted for.
Other baseball poems include those written by Robert L. Harrison. Some of his poems are: 1927 Yankees, 1951: The Season. 1953 Young Mantle Hits One, 1998: The Brookly Atlantics, Bud Harrelson, John Montgomery Ward, Meeting “Newk” Again, New York Divorce, Old Tyme Baseball, and The Baseball Card Dealer.
Another famous writer, Thomas Michael Mcdade has collections like Autographs, Cooperstown Calm. Fenway Bleachers, Roger Connor, Ted Williams- Still Smiling, and The Year I Jinxed Chicago. Other poems from writer also include those written by Don Angel namely Baseball, Opening Day, Setting the Record, and Strike of 1994. Don Z. Block also wrote baseball poems like the Ballad of an Old Burn, Ballad of Leo & Sam, Base Ball Lord, and Tug.
Most of these baseball poems are still very popular today. In fact, most of the baseball fans are fully aware of these baseball poems because these poems are true expressions of baseball fans. These poems are not only pieces of literary arts, but also they are inspirational thoughts not only for the baseball players but for the baseball fans as well.
Read more about the many baseball poems over the Internet and be inspired of how great these literary works of art are!