The Pecan Park Eagle

Turn of the Century songwriter Jack Norworth was supposedly inspired by a sign he saw while riding a subway back in 1908 that said “Baseball Today – Polo Grounds” to write the lyrics to “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” ~ a poem that became a song when tune writer Albert Von Tilzer put a melody to it that allowed the little piece to rapidly soar into high regard as the unofficial anthem of baseball ~ an estimation of the piece hat continues strongly through this day. Funny thing is ~ neither Norworth nor Tilzer had ever seen a baseball game in person until after they wrote the song that made their efforts famous.

Makes you wonder. What if Norworth had seen a sign outside the subway that advertised “Horse Racing Today ~ Belmont” ~ or maybe even “Boxing Tonight ~ Madison Square Garden?”

Those two might have come close to fitting into the same Tilzer tune and become the anthems of two sucker bet sports.

Take Me Out To The Horse Track

Secretariat, 1973
Going for the Triple Crown

Take Me Out To The Horse Track!

Belmont’s the name of the game!

Buy me a tote sheet and paper to win!

I wouldn’t mind if you put up the fin!

We’ll get rich, so rich, at the horse track!

Some will lose ~ and ain’t that a shame!

But we’ll WIN, PLACE, SHOW~ RAKE IT IN

With our FAST ~ HORSE ~ FRIENDS!

Take Me Out To The Garden

Gentleman Jim Corbett

Take Me Out To The Garden!

Madison Square is its name!

Buy me a ringside for Corbett-McCoy!

Gentle Jim nails Kid in 5 ~ beef ahoy!

We’ll come back ~ to view all the others,

Spilling brains, guts, nuts, butts and druthers,

In the ring of those Garden fight mothers,

When unconscious was the aim of the game ~ and still is.

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Have a nice day, everybody, and remember to look out the window every now and then. You never know where or when you may catch the fire of inspiration or invitation or both ~ looking straight back into your eyes and aiming directly at you alone. ~ Why is that important? ~ It’s because some of those opportunities are a one-time only open door. And don’t worry. All of us miss some of them. ~ You just don’t want to miss all of them.

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Bill McCurdy

Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher