Vintage Song Sunday: Van Lingle Mungo

Sundays are a day of reflection and relaxation (if they're not - they should be), so let's take a look back into the archives and check out some classic old school vintage retro baseball songs.  Let's start with a song by Dave Frishberg titled "Van Lingle Mungo", which some say was a precursor to Billy Joel's rambling "We didn't start the Fire".

Van Mungo was a four time All Star pitcher who took the mound for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1931-1941 and then finished his career with the New York Giants, playing for them in 1942-1943 and in 1945.  He won a total of 120 games during his career, with most of those wins coming with the Dodgers and before injuring his arm in 1937.  During his time with the Dodgers, he led the NL in strikeouts in 1936 (238 K's).

Dave Frishberg, born in 1933, is a four time Grammy Nominated Jazz pianist, vocalist and composer, who's songs have been ingrained into the pop culture psyche.  He has spent his historic career playing music with the likes of Manhattan Transfer, Gene Krupa, and Zoot Sims, as well as having his songs covered by vocal legends such as Rosemary Clooney, Diana Krall, and Mel Tormé.   Even if some of those names are unknown to you, you more than likely still know one of his most popular creations, the Saturday morning Schoolhouse Rock sensation, "I'm Just a Bill" in which Mr. Frishberg penned the music and lyrics.

Reading through a copy of the Baseball Encyclopedia, Mr. Frishberg found inspiration in the sound of the name Van Lingle Mungo and included them into a lounge style bossa nova song that he was writing at the time.  It's unique sound and uses of the names therein, has turned this song into a cult classic.

Vintage Song Sunday: Van Lingle Mungo

By Dave Frishberg

Released: 1970

Van Lingle Mungo Lyrics

HEENEY MAJESKI

JOHNNY GEE

EDDIE JOOST

JOHNNY PESKY

THORNTON LEE

DANNY GARDELLA

VAN LINGLE MUNGO

WHITEY KUROWSKI

MAX LANIER

EDDIE WAITKUS

JOHNNY VANDER MEER

BOB ESTALELLA

VAN LINGLE MUNGO

AUGIE BERGAMO

SIGMUND JAKUCKI

BIG JOHNNY MIZE

and

BARNEY MCCOSKY

HAL TROSKY

AUGIE GALAN

and

PINKY MAY

STAN HACK

and

FRENCHY BORDAGARAY

PHIL CAVARRETTA

GEORGE MCQUINN

HOWARD POLLET

and

EARLY WYNN

ROY CAMPANELLA

VAN LINGLE MUNGO

AUGIE BERGAMO

SIGMUND JAKUCKI

BIG JOHNNY MIZE

and

BARNEY MCCOSKY

HAL TROSKY

JOHN ANTONELLI

FERRIS FAIN

FRANKIE CROSETTI

JOHNNY SAIN

HARRY BRECHEEN

and

LOU BOUDREAU

FRANKIE GUSTINE

and

CLAUDE PASSEAU

EDDIE BASINSKI

ERNIE LOMBARDI

HUEY MULCAHY

VAN LINGLE

Related Links:
http://www.davefrishberg.net
http://www.schoolhouserock.tv

Day 10: Johnny Podres Has A Halo Round His Head

With the passing of Johnny Podres on Sunday at the age of 75 - the first player to be awarded the MVP of a World Series, we thought we'd list today's Baseball Song of the Day in memoriam.

From MLB.com & Associated Press:

The left-hander was picked for four All-Star games and was the first Most Valuable Player in World Series history. He became a hero to every baseball fan in Brooklyn when the Dodgers ended decades of frustration by beating the Yankees to win the World Series.

It was the first time a team had won a best-of-seven World Series after losing the first two games, and it was Brooklyn's only World Series victory. The Dodgers moved to Los Angeles after the 1957 season.

The Dodgers lost the first two games of at Yankee Stadium, then the Dodgers won the third 8-3 at Ebbets Field. Podres, going the distance on his 23rd birthday, scattered seven hits.

In the climactic seventh game, at Yankee Stadium, Podres shut out New York 2-0 on eight hits, relying on his fastball and a deceptive changeup.

As the story goes, Podres told his teammates to get him just one run and the Dodgers would win Game 7. They got him two, and the franchise celebrated its first and only championship while playing in Brooklyn.

Years later, Podres was uncertain he made such a brash statement.

"I don't know if I said it or not. That's what they said I said," a grinning Podres recalled in 2005. "Probably young and dumb -- something like that would haunt you your whole life. ... You put on a big league uniform, you've got to think you're pretty good."

Tommy Byrne, the losing pitcher in that game, died Dec. 20.

Podres' career spanned 15 years with the Dodgers in Brooklyn and Los Angeles, the Detroit Tigers and San Diego Padres. He retired in 1969 at age 36 with a lifetime record of 148-116.

Podres also served as a pitching coach when he was older, helping develop Frank Viola when he was with the Minnesota Twins and Curt Schilling when he was on the Philadelphia Phillies staff.

.............................................................................................................

From the Post-Star
January 14, 2008

"Podres, who usually went home right after the season, stayed in Brooklyn for the next couple of months.

He was introduced in the audience of the Ed Sullivan show, appeared as a guest on the TV show "What’s My Line," did an appearance on the "Steve Allen Show" and appeared with Jackie Robinson and Duke Snider on the "Today" show, hosted by Dave Garroway.

"What a great life that was that winter," Podres told The Post-Star in 1995. "I was a big deal."

.............................................................................................................

After his success in the World Series, a song was quickly created in his honor. From what we can gather here at BSOD, from research that led us to the Global Dog Productions web site, Jubilee Records released the song in 1955. The song was released as a 45 and possibly also as a 78 recording as well. The "a" side of the vinyl was, "Has a Halo Round His Head" and the "b" side was "Temper is a Terrible Thing."

We have not been privy to listen to a copy of the song, nor have found a link or a version to it on any web site to date. However, we have found a few lines of what looks to be the lyrics on this site:

http://mozartzbitch.livejournal.com/

Johnny Podres Has a Halo Round His Head Lyrics

Johnny brought the crowd to Ebbet's Field at last
No more wait 'til next year! No! Next is passed!
Casey's mighty men struck men struck out
You can hear all Brooklyn shout,
"Johnny Podres has a halo 'round his head.