Know what I remember most about the first White Sox game I went to? The music. Maybe that’s because the team was horrible that year, eventually losing over 100 games during that 1970 season. They did little of note on the field that year but, as it turns out, they made a wise move off that field that’s been paying dividends for 41 years now. They hired Nancy Faust to play the organ. When she officially retired this past weekend, it truly was end of an era on the south side.
Even as an eleven year old back in 1970 I couldn’t help noticing Nancy’s repertoire was different from anything I’d ever heard during the games I attended at Wrigley Field. On the north side, all you got were standards and old school and sometimes VERY old school (“Moonlight Serenade,” “String of Pearls,” the kind of stuff my parents would like). I remember “Rock Around the Clock” (1954!) being one of the more contemporary songs. Even the organ itself sounded old, of roller rink vintage, and organist Jack Kearney’s song choices didn’t help.
It was a totally different story at Comiskey Park. I didn’t know her name at the time, but Nancy Faust blew me away that night. I noticed right away that she played currently popular songs (songs I liked!)—five second snippets when players were going up the plate, full-length versions in between innings. She showed uncommon creativity, deftly connecting players’ names with the titles of songs she played when they went up to bat. You could tell right away she was in complete command of: a) the nuances of the game; b) the names and nicknames of all the players, home team and visitors; and c) pop music. With Nancy, it wasn’t just “Three Blind Mice” when the umpires came out onto the field—imagine that!
For the past 41 years, whenever I walked into Comiskey Park or The Cell, I listened for the sound of the organ. Just a couple notes were all it took for me to know Nancy was on the job, doing what she did better than anyone else on earth. We need to find a way to get her into the Hall of Fame. Organist’s wing, anyone?
I couldn’t even tell you what the final score was or even who the Sox played the first time I saw them at the old Comiskey Park. But the impression the organist made on me that night will stay with me forever. And, since that night, I’ve considered Nancy Faust a key part of my enjoyment of watching the Sox at home. Thanks for the memories, Nancy! Enjoy your retirement. You’ve earned it.
Tags: Chicago White Sox, Gary Pressey, Nancy Faust
