The Story Behind the Poem Casey at the Bat

By R. J. Brown

When George Hearst decided to run for senator from California in 1885 he realized the need of an influential organ, and bought the San Francisco Examiner to promote his political ambitions. When the campaign was over, he presented it to his son, William Randolph Hearst who had just graduated from Harvard College. While in college the younger Hearst had been editor of the Harvard Lampoon.

When he went to California to edit the Examiner he took along with him three members of the Lampoon staff; Eugene Lent, F. H. Briggs, and Ernest L. Thayer. Each had nicknames -- Thayer's was "Phin." He wrote a humorous column on a regular basis for the Examiner and signed his columns with his nickname.

In the spring of 1888, Thayer wrote Caseyand submitted it for publication. It appeared in the Examiner in the June 3, 1888 edition and was signed "Phin" as usual.

When Casey made its first appearance, nobody hailed it with shouts of joy or suspected that it would become immortal. A few weeks later, (exact date unknown) the New York Sun published the last 8 stanzas of the poem -- but signed its author as "Anon." Other than the Sun, it was just plain ignored by the public.

To become immortal, everyone (or thing) needs a press agent. Archibald Clavering Gunter, an author of novels, was "Casey's" press agent. Always on the look out for incidents to base some of his novels on, Gunter, living in New York, sought and actively read newspapers from around the country on a regular basis. When he read Casey for the first time, he clipped it out to save. He wasn't sure just what he would do with it, but he clipped and saved it anyway.

Many weeks later, in August of 1888, Gunter read that both the New York and Chicago baseball clubs would be attending the performance of the comedian De Wolf Hopper at the Wallack Theater in New York. Upon reading the announcement, Gunter instantly knew what he wanted to do with the clipping of Casey he had saved.

Gunter approached Hopper, a good friend, and offered the poem for him to recite as he felt the baseball teams would enjoy a comic baseball recitation. Hopper agreed and recited it that night. The rest, as they say, is history. From that point forward in time, Casey become immortal -- while a good poem to begin with, it took a recital before a group of "famous" baseball players by a professional comedian to bring it to life.

After reviews for Hopper's performance were published, three people came forward to claim authorship and demanded Hopper pay a royalty to use "their" poem. None could prove authorship, so Hopper kept it in his repertory.

Four or five years later, Thayer, living in Worcester, Massachusetts at the time, attended a performance of Hopper in Worcester. After the show, Thayer sent a note backstage requesting to meet Hopper. Thayer gave him the rights to perform it without paying any royalties.

Newspaper collectors should check their issues of New York papers for August, 1888 (exact day unknown) for reviews of Mr. Hopper's performance of Casey -- You may have an issue almost as important as the first printing of the poem in the June 3, 1888 San Francisco Examiner.

Casey at the Bat

By R. J. Brown

NCSA Member #3

The outlook wasn't brilliant for the Mudville nine that day:

The score stood four to two, with but one inning more to play,

And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same,

A pall-like silence fell upon the patrons of the game.

The rest cling to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast;

They thought, "If only Casey could but get a whack at that--

We'd put up even money now, with Casey at the bat."

And the former was a hoodoo, while the latter was a cake;

So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat,

For there seemed but little chance of Casey getting to the bat.

And Blake, the much despised, tore the cover off the ball;

And when the dust had lifted, and men saw what had occurred,

There was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn - hugging third.

It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell;

It pounded on the mountain and recoiled upon the flat,

For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat.

There was pride in Casey's bearing and a smile lit Casey's face.

And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat,

No stranger in the crowd could doubt 'twas Casey at the bat.

Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt;

Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip,

Defiance flashed in Casey's eye, a sneer curled Casey's lip.

And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there.

Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped--

"That ain't my style," said Casey. "Strike one!" the umpire said.

Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore;

"Kill him! Kill the umpire!" shouted some one in the stand;

And it's likely they'd had killed him had not Casey raised his hand.

He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on;

He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the dun sphere flew;

But Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said "Strike two!"

But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed.

They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain,

And they knew that Casey wouldn't let that ball go by again.

He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.

And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,

And now the air is shattered by the force of Casey's blow.

The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,

And somewhere men are laughing, and little children shout;

But there is no joy in Mudville-- great Casey has struck out.

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