Classic Poem Anniversary - Let's see some related items
 

On June 3rd 1888 the classical poem familiar to all of us who love our national pastime was originally published.

So yesterday I did a little thinking about it, penned this brief summary, and present it here with my sincerest apologies to Ernest Lawrence Thayer.



It was ten bakers dozen plus three years ago
What was a simple game back then has now become the show

Five thousand gathered to see Mudville's nine that day
But just whom was their opponent no one can say

They came to see characters like Barrows and Cooney
One a bona fide fool and the other quite looney

There was also that ne’er do well fielder called Flynn
Could Jimmy Blake or Casey help procure them a win?

With but one final out left and down by two
Hope was fading quickly and the throng feeling blue

But Flynn got a hit and Blake got a double
The crowd stood and screamed loudly “Now, you’ve got trouble!”

For it was Casey that now could arise
To the adoring tumult of their shouts and their cries

He acknowledged the assembly as he strode to the plate
Knowing with the bat in his hand he held the games fate

He seemed as if to not have a care
Unflinching as two strikes passed through the air

Everyone yelled at and booed the umpire of course
But the only result was their throat feeling hoarse

Casey held his head high as the ball was hurled once again
To not swing at this one would be considered a sin

He took his game winning swing with the score of 4-2 in doubt
But Mudville will not rejoice for mighty Casey has struck outhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...f4e6894739.jpg

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Stage actor DeWolf Hopper's dramatic renditions of the poem helped make "Casey at the Bat" famous.

First hardcover edition (1912). I believe the first book edition was a paperback from 1901.

For those unfamiliar, DeWolf married Hedda Hopper the gossip columnist and their son was Bill Hopper who played Paul Drake on the Perry Mason show.

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Interesting...Ernest Thayer used Phin as his pen name when the poem was originally published

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Who was the real Casey
 

I came across this article about who the real Casey was. I wonder how many others by the name of Casey made the same claim?

I feel sure there were quite a few players who claimed to be the inspiration for mighty Casey....thanks for posting.

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Hopper’s wife was gossip columnist Hedda Hopper and their son was William Hopper, who played Paul Drake on Perry Mason.