WCLV'S BASEBALL SONG CELEBRATING THE INDIANS

 
(AFP/Getty Images/Jim McIsaac)

Back in 1995, when the Cleveland Indians went to the World Series for the first time since 1954, WCLV commissioned Ross Duffin of the Case Western Reserve University Music Department to create a baseball song in keeping with its classical format. The result was "Oh, Come All ye Baseball Fans," based on "Sound the Trumpet" by th 17th Century English composer Henry Purcell, with lyrics by Ross.

Now that the Indians are making another run at the World Series, Ross Duffin and members of the Case Western Reserve Music Department have updated the lyrics to "Come All Ye Baseball Fans."  And WCLV will continue to feature the song as long as the Indians perservere. 

The new performers are:

Esther Erb, soprano
Cheryl Moore, mezzo
Peter Bennett, harpsichord
Leigh Rudner, baroque cello

Engineering: Mark Plotkin and Bruce Egre

All are faculty or students in the Case Western Reserve University 
Department of Music.

Esther Erb is a two-time All American champion cross-country runner and Case music major.  Leigh Rudner and Mark Plotkin are also Case undergraduate music majors.  Cheryl Moore is a graduate student in  the Early Music Performance Practice program at Case.  Peter Bennett is a faculty member and Bruce Egre is head of the audio recording  program in the Music Department.  Ross Duffin is Fynette H. Kulas 
Professor of Music and Interim Chair of the Department.

The song was created originally for the 1995 Cleveland Indians, with soprano Janet Youngdahl and countertenor John McElliott.  The chorus is a parody of the lyrics to "Take me out to the ball game" and is 
timeless, but the first section mentions the names of several players, so it needed updating.  The new version reads as follows:

Hafner, Sizemore, / Lofton, Cabrera
Blake, Martinez, / Wedge, Peralta
Nixon, Garko,
Cleveland’s heroes you’ll be crown'd.
You make Lake Erie’s shores resound

Westbrook, Sabathia, / Lewis, Carmona
Byrd, Borowski, / Perez, Gutierrez
Laffey, Betancourt,
Mastny: Masters of the mound.
You make Lake Erie’s shores resound

Your exciting baseball,
exciting baseball play.
Oh, if you could win it all:
playoffs, American League, yes, win it all —
World Series — we’d be standing tall.
We’d celebrate,
we’d celebrate the glories of the day
the glories, the glories of the day!

Come all ye baseball fans
Wahoo! Hooray!

To Jacob’s Field we’ll go
see the Indians play.

Lift all your voices
their labors repay
Let’s celebrate
Let’s celebrate their triumphant day.

Buy me some peanuts,
forever we’ll stay.
Let’s celebrate
Let’s celebrate their triumphant day.

Here are the original lyrics:

Belle, Baerga, Visquel, Ramierz,
Lofton, Alomar.
Cleveland's heroes you'll be crowned.
You make Lake Erie's shores resound.

Nagy, Martinez, Clark, Tavarez,
Orel, Ogea,
Mesa: Masters of the mound.
You make Lake Erie's shores resound.

You're exciting baseball,
Exciting baseball play.
Oh, if you could win it all:
Playoffs, American League, yes, win it all --
World Series -- we'd be standing tall.
We'd celebrate the glories of the day.
The glories, the glories of the day!

Come all ye baseball fans.
Wahoo! Hooray!

Top Jacobs Field we'll go
to see the Indians play.

Lift all your voices
Their labors repay.
Let's celebrate!
Let's celebrate their triumphant day!

Buy me some peanuts
Forever we'll stay.
Let's celebrate!
Let's celebrate their triumphant day!