Back in the early 1970's, the Chicago Cubs had a mustached second baseman/middle infielder by the name of Carmen Fanzone. Carmen wasn't a world beater at the plate, with a lifetime .224 avg (although he did hit 8HR and 42 RBI's in only 222 AB's in 1972) but he was well known for his trumpet playing, which he later turned into a jazz career. Not only did Carmen play the national anthem before a game at Wrigley, but he also performed in "The Tonight Show" band for Doc Severinsen and Johnny Carson.
Move the clock forward to the mid-nineties and you'll find a classical FM radio station of WCLV in Cleveland, Ohio commissioning the Case Western Reserve University Music Department to create a baseball song in keeping with its classical format to celebrate the Cleveland Indians return to the World Series in 1995.
What Professor Ross Dufflin and the music department came up with was "Oh, Come All ye Baseball Fans," based on "Sound the Trumpet" by the Henry Purcell (17th Century English composer), with adjusted lyrics by Professor Ross.
Sound the Trumpet
Baseball Song of the Day: Oh, Come All ye Baseball Fans
Artist: Case Western Reserve University - Department of Music
Released: 1995
Oh, Come All ye Baseball Fans lyrics
(original lyrics)
Belle, Baerga, Visquel, Ramierz,
Lofton, Alomar.
Cleveland's heroes you'll be crowned.
You make Lake Erie's shores resound.
Nagy, Martinez, Clark, Tavarez,
Orel, Ogea,
Mesa: Masters of the mound.
You make Lake Erie's shores resound.
You're exciting baseball,
Exciting baseball play.
Oh, if you could win it all:
Playoffs, American League, yes, win it all --
World Series -- we'd be standing tall.
We'd celebrate the glories of the day.
The glories, the glories of the day!
Come all ye baseball fans.
Wahoo! Hooray!
Top Jacobs Field we'll go
to see the Indians play.
Lift all your voices
Their labors repay.
Let's celebrate!
Let's celebrate their triumphant day!
Buy me some peanuts
Forever we'll stay.
Let's celebrate!
Let's celebrate their triumphant day!
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In an interview with the Scott Chancey of the Albany Herald, Price explains his dedication to both baseball and trumpet playing and how its a great idea to have both realistic and lofty goals.
Price began playing the trumpet in 6th grade and quickly learned many similarities between working hard on the baseball diamond as well as working hard toward his musical craft.
Being in the band, you have to keep practicing,” Price said. “You have to go over things in every detail, and you have to pretty much do the same thing in baseball.”
Once Price entered college, he found a calling for both music and baseball. He gets plenty of exercise from both passions as well.
“We go up and down the field, 100 yards, repetitively over and over,” Price said. “We all have to pick up our legs at a 90-degree angle because we’re a traditional showband, marching with the high-leg kick"
“Music is always going to be there for me,” Price said. “Baseball is not guaranteed that I will make it to the next level, so I have to take music more importantly because that’s my major. It will be staying with me. But in baseball, I’m also trying to finish my career with a championship. That has been my approach.”
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