“Now batting, Dwight Eisenhower . . . Eisenhower”

From the “gee, I did not know that” department: The guy who has been the P.A. announcer for every inaugural parade since 1957 got the gig because of baseball:

Charlie, the PR spokesman for the Washington Senators, got the inauguration gig because someone was impressed with the way he introduced President Eisenhower for the first pitch of the 1956 Senators home opener at Griffith Stadium. They kept using him when President Kennedy took office, and he has continued as the public address announcer for the parades. And it all started because of Washington baseball.

“I introduced President Eisenhower to throw out the first pitch in 1956,” Charlie said. “In November I get a call from a woman from the White House. She said, you are the announcer who introduced President Eisenhower on Opening Day, and I said, yes I am. She said, you must have impressed somebody because I have been told to contact you to see if you would like to introduce the president again. I said, wow, what an honor. Just tell me where and when.”

And I bet he never flubs his lines like Chief Justice Roberts did during the Oath of Office today.


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tadthebad
15 years ago

I think the POTUS flubbed a little also…but that’s to be expected as both men were first-timers for the event.

Peter
15 years ago

You would think they would have practiced it a little though…

tadthebad
15 years ago

I was thinking the same thing!  These two couldn’t have stepped aside at some point in the past 60+ days to get it down pat?

The Common Man
15 years ago

I think Roberts did it on purpose because the President didn’t vote to confirm him.  smile

http://www.the-common-man.com

Matt
15 years ago

“And I bet he never flubs his lines like Chief Justice Roberts did during the Oath of Office today.”

Acutally I’m fairly certain I heard Charlie stutter introducing somebody shortly before the ceremony began, but I forget whose name it was. I want to say it was Obama (and it was not a case of my cable going on the fritz for a second) but I can’t remember exactly.

But I did think as soon as I heard him his voice belongs in a ballpark (and thought it would be really cool if Bob Sheppard could do this).

spitball13
15 years ago

Charlie Brotman penned the lyrics, late ‘50s/early ‘60s time frame.  The song, as well as Charlie, got some press in 2004-05 when D.C. baseball returned.  In 2008 the team put the lyrics to music, whereupon it came under immediate fire as a lame little ditty (it is)and a rip off of that all time favorite baseball hit “Meet the Mets” (I wouldn’t know and don’t really care).  It surprises me blogger Loverro didn’t relate the bit of knowledge thelyrics are several decades old-he should have known, being a supporter of bringing baseball to D.C.  He’s one of those guys who writes about the local scene, not a sports writer, and has been around too long to have overlooked this.)  Looks like the Nats were searching for a PR gimmick that flopped.

Charlie is a great PR man for the Nats and Washington baseball, having been associated with all three incarnations of the Senators/National.  He’s a great living historian regarding Washington baseball players and events.  Several of his stories andrecollections have been printed or aired over the last few years about baseball guys in D.C.- Roy Sievers, Harmon Killebrew, Jim Kaat, Camillo Pascual, Gill Hodges, Frank Howard, Ted Williams, Dick Bosman, Joe Coleman, Eddie Brinkman, Mike Epstein, Denny MacLain, Jeff Burroughs, Toby Harrah…

After listening to the song I have come to the conclusion Charlie should stick to PR work.  The Norworth lyrics of 1908 have stood the test of time.  “Nuts about the Nats” was dead by May 1 of last year.

A quick Brotman story:  in 2004 Charlie was taking part in an event to announce the coming of a team the following year.  An Expo baseball loyalist hopped on stage to rant and protest.  At 77 years young Charlie was one of the first to intercept the Canadian sympathizer and escort him off stage.

Craig, love the blog.