June 3, 2002 marks the 114th anniversary of "Casey At The Bat," a poem so timeless that it's been ingrained in our culture for more than a century.
As befitting its broad appeal, "Casey At The Bat" has been performed countless times in countless settings. It has been performed in theatres, ballparks, and classrooms. It has been performed on a stage in Las Vegas or Atlantic City, and it has even been performed on "Saturday Night Live."
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There are traditional performances, and some not as traditional. For example, one unique performance begins with the large magician/illusionist, Penn Jillette holding in his hand a red rope that suspends his partner, the meek, the mild, Teller, up in the air. By the way, Teller is in a strait jacket AND hanging upside down, AND suspended over sharp wooden spikes.
Penn, in his big, booming voice makes clear to the audience that if (and when) the rope is released Teller will be impaled upon the spikes. Penn then ties the rope to a folding chair, sits down, and explains that he will read a poem from the book he is holding. At the reading's completion, Penn will stand up and take a bow, at which point the chair will go flying up and Teller will go flying down. Penn then leafs through his book, finds the poem of his choice, and starts reading aloud to the audience. Thus begins the Penn & Teller performance of "Casey At The Bat." The likelihood is that this is the most unusual, and certainly most dangerous, reading of America's classic baseball poem written by Ernest Lawrence Thayer and published first on June 3, 1888. Continue reading > |
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Since it was first published in June, 1888, Ernest L.
Thayer's "Casey at the Bat" has become an integral part of the fabric of our culture. Read
the original classic >
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The poem, "Casey At The Bat" has almost as rich a history as the game of baseball itself. More >
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Since its publication on June 3, 1888, Ernest L. Thayer's "Casey at the Bat, A Ballad of the Republic" has become an integral part of the fabric of our culture. More >
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We would like to suggest to you a new edition of "Casey At The Bat" with illustrations by LeRoy Neiman and an introduction by Yankee Manager Joe Torre. More >
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History
