John Fogerty And Bruce Springsteen Unite For A Baseball Anthem

From “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” to “Meet The Mets,” baseball has a history filled with music and fun associated with our national pastime. But some rise above all the others…

John Fogerty, the driver of Creedence Clearwater Revival in the 1970’s innocently wrote a song he titled “Centerfield,” which has become the calling card for fans of baseball who need a little charge in the waning weeks of winter, or as a sing-a-long when played between innings at ballparks across America.

Put me in coach, I’m ready to play recalls the urges and pleas of so many fans of baseball who relate back to the days when they (too) could shag a few balls in the outfield as well as anybody. Filled with dreams and images of wearing a major league uniform, of which the lyrics accurately recall that anyone can understand.

In 2009, The Yankees opened their new version of Yankee Stadium in April, and as always they did it right with a never-ending parade of former Yankees introduced to the crowd, of which I was part of on that historic afternoon.

Towards the end of those introductions, my attention was diverted to a gate opening on the left field warning track, and a man is striding towards a microphone waving and carrying what appeared to be a violin. Training my camera’s zoom on the man, I realized the violin was really a guitar and the one John Fogerty used for only one song in his prodigious repertoire. Instinctively and to no one in particular around me, I announced with a shout, “He’s gonna do Centerfield.” The first chords brought a tear to my eyes.

It’s sometimes that way too when the first notes of “Glory Days” by Mr. Springsteen hit the airwaves in the car, and that first verse tells a story that brings high school days of innocence when I was that speedballer back in vivid color. Oh, glory days.