
Base-Ball Ballads
BASE-BALL BALLADS
DEDICATED TO THE FAN
PLAY BALL.
WHEN THE BUG IS ON THE BAWL.
CASEY’S REVENGE.
THE BUG’S VIEW-POINT.
THE COURTSHIP OF A SON OF SWAT.
THE BUSH LEAGUER’S DREAM. (From our “Songs of the Spring Recruit.”) - I.
SPRINGTIME IN THE HISTORY ROOM.
Step into the lively world of early‑20th‑century baseball as it is sung in verse. This collection captures the roar of the crowd, the crack of the bat, and the everyday devotion of fans—from bootblacks to businessmen—who find their identities reflected in the box score. Each ballad rolls like a lively inning, blending humor, nostalgia, and the raw excitement of a game that feels like a battlefield of hope and chance.
Among the verses, a poignant tale of “Casey’s Revenge” follows a fallen hero struggling to regain his confidence under the weight of a town’s expectations, only to discover that redemption can arrive when least expected. The poems weave together the universal language of sport with the rhythms of folk song, inviting listeners to hear the heartbeat of America’s pastime. Whether you’re a seasoned fan or new to the diamond, the lyrical spirit of these ballads makes the game feel both timeless and personal.
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (94K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Chuck Greif, deaurider and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
Apr 12, 2021
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
Subjects

1880–1954
Remembered as one of America’s great early sportswriters, he brought a lyrical, storytelling style to newspaper coverage and helped turn games into national legends. His most famous lines and nicknames, including Notre Dame’s “Four Horsemen,” have echoed through sports culture for generations.
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