Take Me Out to the Ball Game

This is the unofficial anthem of North American baseball, created in 1908 by lyricist Jack Norworth and composer Albert Von Tilzer, with the remarkable irony that neither of whom had attended a professional baseball game prior to writing the song. Norworth's inspiration struck him while riding a New York subway in 1908 when he saw a billboard advertising "Baseball Today—Polo Grounds" and quickly jotted down the lyrics on an envelope, telling the story of Katie Casey, a devoted female baseball fan who prioritizes attending a game over a show. Upon its release, it became an immediate hit, first performed by Norworth's wife Nora Bayes in vaudeville and later recorded by Edward Meeker in 1908, with the tune gaining widespread popularity and selling millions of copies of sheet music. "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" has since become the unofficial anthem of North American baseball and is famously sung during the seventh-inning stretch at baseball games, a tradition notably popularized by legendary broadcaster Harry Caray beginning in 1976. The song's cultural impact extends beyond baseball, being recognized as one of the most familiar songs in the United States and contributing to the widespread popularity of Cracker Jack snacks mentioned in the lyrics.