In celebration of the Smithsonian Year of Music (and in sync with baseball season), the National Postal Museum is hosting Take Me Out to the Ballgame: Music and Song at American Baseball Stadiums. This Saturday, August 24, from 3-4:30pm, the public is invited to join the museum for a discussion about music in baseball along with a concert of classic baseball tunes.
The event will feature a panel presentation that explores the intersection of music and baseball. Discussion will include the early origins of organ music in the sport, the instruments used and popularity over time at stadiums, and the ways in which organ music, and music in general, have become inextricably linked with the experience of attending a baseball game. The panel will also explore the fascinating history of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” a song so significant it was memorialized on a stamp in 2008 to commemorate its 100th anniversary.
Following the panel, there will also be a live concert of classic baseball songs performed by Josh Kantor, organist for the Boston Red Sox.
Presenters and discussants will include:
– Daniel Piazza, Head Curator at the National Postal Museum and curator of the upcoming NPM exhibition “Baseball: America’s Homerun”
– Josh Kantor, Organist for Boston Red Sox home games at Fenway Park
– Matthew W. Mihalka, Instructor of Musicology at the University of Arkansas
– Andy Strasberg, former marketer for the San Diego Padres and co-author of Baseball’s Greatest Hit: The Story of Take Me Out to the Ball Game
All ages are welcome! And plan for time to enjoy the National Postal Museum, too — it’s fantastic for families. Read more about it in this KFDC post.
Take Me Out to the Ballgame: Music & Song at Baseball Stadiums
Where: National Postal Museum | 2 Massachusetts Ave NE, WDC
When: Saturday, August 24, 3-4:30pm
Admission: Free
