Some elements are essential to the classic game of baseball. A gorgeous afternoon outdoors, American fare for concessions and, most importantly, music. As each player steps up to pitch or bat, their own personalized walk-up song is played from the venue speakers in a tradition that began nearly 30 years ago.
Starting in the 1970s and 1980s, venue organ players or team executives would play songs tailored to each athlete’s personality as players came up to bat or pitch. In the 1990s, players began choosing their own songs, with Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim shortstop Gary DiSarcina leading the charge by requesting “Limelight” by Rush because of his love for the band.
Currently on the Virginia baseball team, the song lineup includes a wide variety of genres, from country hits like “Mr. Saturday Night” by Jon Pardi to R&B selections like “Doo Wop (That Thing)” by Lauryn Hill. The reason behind each song choice also varies, as some players simply pick songs they like while others find songs that connect to a unique story or moment.
Junior catcher Jake Weatherspoon is a prime example of the latter, as he selected “Fancy” by Drake because the song’s lyrics “Nails done, hair done, everything did” mirrored a high school memory.
“In high school, we had bad nights at our field. So for signs, for catching, I would paint my fingernails bright yellow so the pitcher could see the signs. And my sister was like, ‘You should use [‘Fancy’],’ because it mentions that,” Weatherspoon said.
Outside of a specific story, players often find walk-up songs that inspire an emotional reaction, usually trying to find peace or energy in the pressure-filled moment of coming to pitch or bat. Graduate pitcher Lucas Hartman said he chose the slow-placed “R Way” by Rebelution as a way to ground himself when approaching the mound.
“I like to pitch when I’m calm,” Hartman said. “Having that more mellow tone to [the song] helps me out.”
However, some players said they look for a walk-up song that caters not to themselves, but to their team or the broader crowd instead. Audiences and dugout members alike often enjoy taking part in the musical ritual, clapping along to the energetic anthems and singing with the slower tunes.
Sophomore pitcher Max Stammel explained that he chose “Swag Surfin’” by Fast Life Youngstaz because he thought the rap song’s upbeat rhythm and boastful lyrics would hype up crowds.
“Last year, Henry Zatkowski had a really good walk-up song,” Stammel said. “And I was like, ‘What would get other people into the mood?’ So that’s where I came up with mine.”
Junior third baseman Noah Murray noted that he chose “Live Well” by Palace as his walk-up song out of pure love for the band, but the song has now become a team-wide ritual where dugout members sing along as Murray comes up to bat, showing how songs initially picked for personal reasons can also become team anthems.
Regardless of the motivation behind each choice, walk-up songs connect individual athletes with the larger audience at games. They bridge the gap between fan and player in a manner rarely found in other sports, with players being seen not only for their athletics, but for their personality expressed by their song choices as well. Charlottesville local Amy Scherer said that music often adds a personal touch to the otherwise numerical game of baseball.
“You see the players out there, but you don’t really know them personally,” Scherer said. “Hearing their walk-up song just kind of gives you a little bit of an insight into their personalities.”
Scherer also said walk-up songs can help crowds remember players more easily, as athletes become automatically associated with their walk-up song. This association is especially helpful when new players arrive, as career Cavaliers like Harrison Didawick have already cemented their image among fans.
Another benefit to these songs is simply bringing energy to the occasionally sluggish game of baseball, as nine innings can grind on even the most devout fan. Fourth-year College student Elizabeth Vermeulen, who has attended many season games, said the walk-up songs are her favorite part of baseball for that exact reason.
“They kind of add to the overall energy of the game … They kind of make it more hype, because baseball can be slow at times,” Vermeulen said.
Ultimately, walk-up songs have become a key component of baseball that truly define the sport for audiences and players alike. They bring a unique rhythm to every game, punctuating rounds of play and setting the tone for each inning. An inning begun by freshman pitcher Thomas Stewart’s punchy choice of “Take Me Home Tonight” by Eddie Money inspires a rowdy energy that is dramatically different from the calm atmosphere created by freshman pitcher Noah Yoder’s pick of “Didn’t Cha Know” by Erykah Badu. Nonetheless, that variety in atmosphere is what keeps the game feeling so alive, as every player makes their individual mark on that night’s soundtrack.
Weatherspoon commented on his appreciation for the tradition, recognizing the comfort repeating tracks can bring players.
“[It’s] kind of like a calming force,” Weatherspoon said. “If there was no song at all, the silence feels more likely to get in your head … to have that center you, I think, is great.”
As the baseball season reaches its final innings at Disharoon Park, accompanying tunes will play well into the home stretch. Players will wind up to energetic anthems, throw pitches to soothing rhythms and hopefully end the year on a high note during their final home game Tuesday.
Read More
California plays spoiler on Senior Day, downs No. 23 Virginia
By David Sewall | 18 hours ago“I told the team after the handshake line, we aren’t in this position with 33 wins without Lucas Hartman,” Pollard said. “[He’s] done an incredible job all year and we will continue to believe in him.”
Cavaliers scrape by with 2-1 win, even series against Golden Bears
By Stephen O'Dea | Yesterday“It is whatever it takes, that’s where we are right now. It is not a Picasso, but whatever it takes to get the job done right now,” Pollard said following the game. “We will find our way to the other side of this. We are a better offensive club but, in the meantime, it is just whatever it takes to win a ballgame and we were tough today.”
Cavaliers encounter massive woes at the plate, drop opener to California 7-4
By Stephen O'Dea | 2 days ago“We have to buy into our approach better,” Coach Pollard said in the postgame press conference. “More importantly, we have to have better competitive fight, and I told them both of those things at the end of the ballgame.”
