The Hoosier Jewish History Behind "Take Me Out to the Ball Game"

“Take Me Out to the Ball Game” is not solely about baseball; it also symbolizes the aspirations of those who feel excluded.

The song “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” narrates the story of Katie, a woman passionate about baseball, who agrees to date her boyfriend only if it involves attending a game. At the time, women were generally regarded as outsiders in the realm of sports. Jack Norworth, a 29-year-old musician from Tin Pan Alley, conceived the idea for the song during a train ride in 1908 after observing a baseball advertisement. Albert Von Tilzer composed the music for Norworth’s lyrics. Notably, neither Norworth nor Von Tilzer attended a Major League Baseball game until they were 32 and 20 years old, respectively, underscoring their outsider status.

The song was first performed by Norworth’s then-wife, Nora Bayes, and later popularized by numerous vaudeville acts.

The first documented performance of the song at a ballpark occurred in 1934 during the fourth game of the World Series. Prior to this, it was played during intermissions at theaters showing silent films. Albert Von Tilzer, originally named Elias Gumbinsky, was born in Indianapolis to Lithuanian Jewish immigrant parents who had previously resided in several cities, including Detroit, where his brother Harry Von Tilzer was born. The family, all musically gifted, changed their surname from Gumbinsky. Before Albert’s birth, they settled in Goshen, Indiana, to be near relatives and attempted to open a store, which was subsequently destroyed by fire under suspicious circumstances. Local townspeople falsely accused the Gumbinskys of arson for insurance purposes, reflecting prevalent antisemitic stereotypes of the 19th century.

In 1878, the family, facing adversity, relocated to the South Side of Indianapolis, the current site of Shapiro’s Deli’s parking lot. During the late 19th century, Jewish immigrants in this area encountered significant prejudice, as Indianapolis was predominantly inhabited by White Anglo-Saxon Protestants and lacked cultural diversity. The densely populated immigrant neighborhood was frequently labeled a “ghetto” by the local non-Jewish press and sometimes referred to as “Little Judea.” Eastern European Jews were often perceived as foreign and unsophisticated, even by members of the earlier, more established German-speaking Jewish community.

Despite the constraints of their crowded, industrial Indianapolis neighborhood, Albert and his brother Harry pursued their ambitions. They emerged as influential figures in popular music and culture, contributing to the establishment of Tin Pan Alley in New York, which transformed American music by producing numerous popular songs. “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” has become an anthem for individuals who aspire to connect with the core of American culture.

Currently, there are renewed efforts by some negative forces to marginalize Jewish Americans and obscure their significant contributions to the nation.

With this history in mind, the Indiana Jewish Historical Society and the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation (JASHP) initiated the creation of a historical marker for “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” Jerry from JASHP was so enthusiastic about the idea that he sought to expand the project nationally, offering the marker to any ballpark interested. Our initial proposal to Albert Von Tilzer’s hometown was declined, and subsequent outreach to numerous other ballparks was met with either no response or outright rejection. I suggested to Jerry that we approach the South Bend Cubs, who are already connected to the song through Harry Caray and to Indiana’s Jewish history by featuring a historic repurposed synagogue as their gift shop. The South Bend Cubs embraced the educational historical marker’s message of inclusivity, its connection to local Jewish history, and the legacy of Harry Caray, whose iconic rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” at Chicago Cubs games remains legendary.

We invite you to join us in celebration:

The dedication of the “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” Historical Marker will take place on Friday, May 15, from 4:30 to 5:30 pm EST, adjacent to the courtyard of the Historic Sons of Israel Ball Park Synagogue inside Four Winds Field. The event will begin with a keynote address by Rabbi Michael Friedland, and refreshments will be provided courtesy of South Bend Challah Company.

Michael Brown
Executive Director,
Indiana Jewish Historical Society