John Holt Belts Out Beloved Baseball Tune at Game | News

A Blog From John Holt:

There’s a reason I talk for a living, and not sing.

But when Matt Fulks, Director-Media Relations for the Kansas City T-Bones, offered me the opportunity to throw out a first pitch and belt out “Take Me Out To the Ballgame” during the 7th inning stretch of a recent game, I couldn’t refuse. In part because I’m a complete ham, but primarily because it coincided with Prostate Cancer Awareness Night at Community America Ballpark, and I’ll do (almost) anything to promote awareness and early detection.

It seemed like such a good idea at the time, but I’ll admit to some butterflies as the game day approached. I just don’t sing. Not even in the shower!

Fast forward to a hot June night and the Amarillo Sox and a crowd of more than 5,000 and, well, you get the picture.

I made my first pitch (T-Bones coach and Royals Hall of Famer Frank White, whose own foundation promotes colon cancer awareness, saved me with a good grab of a low pitch), and enjoyed great seats, time in the radio booth with the voice of the T-Bones Brian Bruce talking cancer awareness, and before I knew it, it was the top of the 7th and one out away, and I’m making sure I remember the words to a song I’ve belted out with thousands of fans at many a game, but never with a microphone on top of the dugout.

So, here, for your pleasure, is a portion of my moment captured on a cell phone video camera. It happened fast. I remembered the words and held an okay tune and managed to have fun with a great chorus of baseball fanatics! And, yes, I’m a dork!

The T-Bones and their fans couldn’t have been nicer to my wife and me. We had a great time. I don’t think I scared anyone off, and the T-Bones won! A nice night at the ol’ ballpark, and another great opportunity to share my message of early detection for men (and the women who love them).