A Good-Luck Charm for Casey Stengel
From SABR member Cort Vitty on Seamheads.com on March 26:
If it ain’t over ‘til the fat lady sings; the New York Yankees incredible run of 5 consecutive world championships didn’t start until an attractive soprano named Lucy Monroe sang the National Anthem. From 1949 – 1953, it was her wont to step to the microphone and perform her polished rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner,” for the opening day crowd. According to The Sporting News, this annual ritual prompted manager Casey Stengel to call her his “secret weapon.” Casey always liked southpaws and Miss Monroe was another left-hander he could count on.
April 19th, 1949 marked the debut of Casey Stengel as Yankee skipper. It was also the first opener since Babe Ruth had passed away the previous August. To commemorate the occasion, his monument in center field was unveiled and officially dedicated. The versatile Miss Monroe closed the ceremony by performing a touching rendition of “Auld Lang Syne.” She then sang the National Anthem before the season opener against the Washington Senators. Miss Monroe’s trained operatic voice easily handled the anthem with a fast paced cadence and smooth vocal tone.
Read the full article here: http://www.seamheads.com/2011/03/26/a-good-luck-charm-for-casey-stengel/
Originally published: March 27, 2011. Last Updated: March 27, 2011.