* Play-by-play on the radio…and television

Terry Cashman’s most popular hits had to be “Talkin’ Baseball” and “Willie, Mickey, and the Duke,” a paean to New York centerfielders. But a close third was “Play-by-Play (I Saw it on the Radio).”

The (Transplanted) Nation blog (Red Sox), posted this entry about how Bobby Thompson’s home run, as broadcast on radio and TV, forever transformed how fans absorbed the game.

Play-By-Play (I Saw it on the Radio)

— Terry Cashman

Play-by-play on the radio
Play-by-play…

(“There’s a long one, deep to left center, back goes Gionfriddo. Back, back, back, back, back, back, he makes a one-handed catch against the bullpen. Oh ho, doctor!”)

Out on the porch in the summer heat
The sound of a southerner’s voice filled the street
Me ‘n’ the Redhead were up in the catbird’s seat

And out in St. Lou it was surely the same
Holy cow! What a baseball game
The sacks are loaded and here comes that Man again

And it was play-by-play on the radio
Play-by-play on the radio
Play-by-play, I saw it on the radio

The swing of The Splinter, DiMaggio’s glide
The men at the mics made it come alive
Ernie and Mel and Bob was a Prince of a guy

Out of thin air pictures somehow appear
You can smell the hot dogs and taste the beer
I felt the excitement as the crowd began to cheer

And it was play-by-play on the radio
Play-by-play on the radio
Play-by-play, I saw it on the radio

Play by play, I saw it on the radio…

(“There’s a drive, way back, it may be, it could be, it is”…”Base hit, right field, the Tigers win it, here comes Kaline to score and it’s all over”…”Stargell swings and there’s a long drive hit deep into right field, going way back, back, back, back, she goes and you may kiss it goodbye, over the roof for a home run”)

The men at the mic, they make it come alive
Oh, what a catch, there’s a long, long drive
Turn it up louder, the pictures are coming in fine

And it’s play-by-play on the radio
Play-by-play on the radio
Play-by-play…

Yes, day after day
Play-by-play, I saw it on the radio
Play-by-play, I saw it on the radio…

(“It is going, it is going, it is gone”)