Chuck Cheesman: Music

• MP3 short clip, hi-fi play (broadband)
• MP3 short clip, lo-fi play (modem)

I based this on Ernest L. Thayer's poem "Casey at the Bat." It is, to my mind, the way the game should be played. These days it seems like you just don't hear, "It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game." Times change, and maybe this song is contrary to our current American values. But I miss the days when kids could look up to their sports heroes the way I looked up to Ryne Sandberg and Walter Payton.

It’s the bottom of the ninth. Mighty Casey is at the plate.
The hometown fans have all gone home and the skies are threatening rain.

But the winning run is on third. The score is tied and there is just one out.
Whenever Casey comes to bat, it could be long one or strike out…

Hey shorten-up. You’ll still have enough. You don’t have to hit it far.
Hey lighten-up. Don’t you tighten-up. Take a good look at where you are.
Sometimes contact is all you need.
Sometimes you take one for the team.
Just keep your eye on the ball.

The skinny kid on third is just a fluke. He got to first on a dropped third strike,
He went to second on a wild pitch - an ugly slide into third on a fly to right.

He’s a kid used to being teased. He sure ain’t no good at playing ball.
He wipes the dust and blood from his knees, fights back his tears and stands up tall.

Casey looks down and checks the sign. The coach touches his shoulder and then his ear.
Casey spits and looks away as if he just don’t care…

Hey shorten-up. You’ll still have enough. You don’t have to hit it hard.
Hey lighten-up. Don’t you tighten-up. Take a good look at where you are.
Sometimes contact is all you need.
Sometimes you take one for the team.
Just keep your eye on the ball.


Then Casey steps up into the box, and the catcher calls the pitch.
That kid on third just holds his breath. Casey’s elbow gives a twitch.

The pitcher rears back and fires the ball so hard the outfield hears his grunt.
But then that pitcher’s eyes grow wide as Mighty Casey squares to bunt.

He drops it down the third base line where that ball just up and dies.
That skinny kid comes running home, and wins the game with a glorious slide.

Hey shorten-up. You’ll still have enough. You don’t have to be the star.
Hey lighten-up. Don’t you tighten-up. Take a good look at who you are.
Sometimes contact is all you need.
Sometimes you take one for the team.
Just keep your eye on the ball.