0401 - Nancy Faust
Nancy Faust is a legendary organist. She is most famous for her 41-year career playing for the Chicago White Sox from 1970 through 2010 during which she invented walk-up music and popularized the singing of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" during the 7th inning stretch. During our conversation, she referenced a handful of things and people upon which you may want to do more research. Consider this page to be your “liner notes” for the episode so you can follow along.
Me and Nancy Faust after recording our interview at her home in the northwest suburbs of Chicago.
The GroveWood Baseball Museum has over 1,000 artifacts dating all the way back to the Civil War era.
Innovator
From her center field perch at Old Comiskey Park, Nancy Faust became arguably the first sports organist to include pop and rock themes while playing during games.
1970 Chicago White Sox
In Nancy’s first season, the White Sox went 56-106, drawing less than half a million fans to Comiskey Park for the first time since 1942, and finishing last in attendance in the American League for the second consecutive year. Plenty of good seats still available in this shot.
Sports Illustrated
Nancy was recognized in the September 5, 1977 issue of Sports Illustrated:
“Regardless of how the White Sox finish, Comiskey Park's Nancy Faust is a sure bet to be the American League's MVO (Most Valuable Organist). When the Sox do something good—or even threaten to—she plays the tune from an old rock hit, Kiss Him Goodbye. Nowadays that immediately provokes a boisterous sing-along by Chicago fans…”
"If the White Sox win it," says Chicago columnist Bill Gleason, "Nancy'll be the only organist ever voted a full Series share."
Celebrated By The Sox
The White Sox held a special event at Comiskey Park on May 1, 1979 to celebrate Nancy Faust and everything she brought to the organization. It wasn’t the last time she would be honored in such a way.
Her Own Bobblehead
Ten thousand Nancy Faust bobblehead dolls were presented to fans by the White Sox before their game on September 18, 2010, just two weeks before her retirement. White Sox fan and historian Peter Wilt is seen here with his.
Baseball Reliquary’s Shrine of the Eternals
Nancy was inducted into the Baseball Reliquary's Shrine of the Eternals in 2018.
National Baseball Hall of Fame
Nancy’s talents and contribution to the game are recognized in an exhibit at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown called "Women in Baseball."
Put-In-Bay
Nancy’s mom was also a musical prodigy, playing keyboard by ear for passengers getting off the boat at Put-In-Bay in Ohio as a child.
One of the world's largest hotels, the Hotel Victory, opened its 625 rooms to the public in 1892 in Put-In-Bay. The four-story hotel featured a one-thousand-seat dining room. However, on August 14, 1919, the giant hotel burned to the ground.
Jenny, Joy And Jean
Nancy’s mom could play just about any instrument and any song of the day. She toured the Midwest with an all-female band known as Jenny, Joy And Jean.
Nancy’s mother performed as Jean, even though her real name was Jackie. She arranged music and played the fiddle. The group played for a couple of years on the nationally syndicated “WLS Radio Barn Dance” show that aired on WLS-AM for decades.
When Nancy’s mother left the group, they split up since Nancy’s mom was the one doing all of the arrangements. However, after the split, Jenny Lou Carson went on to enjoy fame as a solo artist.
Nancy's mom, Jackie Faust.
Nancy’s Dad
Nancy’s father was a Swedish immigrant who came to the United States at the age of 11. He ended up having a health center in the Chicago suburb of Evanston and gave Swedish massages.
Judy
Nancy’s sister, Judy, was three years older.
A Musical Family
Nancy, in the background, and her older sister, Judy, in the foreground, both played music growing up. Nancy continued on after Judy stopped playing.
An Early Start
When Nancy was only 4 years old, her parents decided they were going to buy a Hammond organ so her mom could practice at home. Nancy started messing around on it when her mom wasn’t practicing and found out that she could figure out how to play some tunes by ear, too.
Nancy is pictured here, at the age of 6.
The Morris B. Sachs Amateur Hour
The “Morris B. Sachs Amateur Hour” was a favorite weekly talent show for Chicagoans from the 1930s well into the 1950s. It began as a radio program, but eventually became a television program.
At the age of 5, Nancy appeared on the show. She played the song “Glow Worm” which was originally by Johnny Mercer but was covered in 1952 by The Mills Brothers. Nancy won first prize, winning a watch and $75.
Child Organist
Nancy was featured on the cover of this August 1954 issue of Hammond Times, a publication specifically geared toward advertising the versatility and importance of Hammond Organs by telling the stories of many successful musicians who played them across the country.
Is the watch Nancy is wearing on the cover the one she won (and subsequently lost) from her appearance on the “Morris B. Sachs Amateur Hour”?
Hammond Times
This was the write up inside the August 1954 issue of Hammond Times, featuring a 7-year-old Nancy, who they described as “a perfect example of what excellent results a child can achieve at a very early age in playing the Hammond Organ.”
Nancy’s Dad
Even though it was Nancy’s mom who had the musical talent, it was actually Nancy’s dad who pushed her to practice and develop her musical skills through a series of animal-related bribes.
Piano vs. Organ
Nancy says she’s not a great piano player, despite the two instruments looking visually similar. On the organ, you can use your foot to act as the bass, meaning your left hand doesn’t have to be as busy as it would need to be on a piano, where the left hand acts as the bass. On an organ, your left hand can play chords and let them sustain, whereas on a piano, your hands mostly need to keep moving.
Nancy is pictured here sitting at the family’s piano, with an organ in the background. She is 9 years old here, in August of 1956.
Multi-Instrumentalist
Nancy is obviously a great organist, and can also play piano, but she can also play chords on a guitar. When she went to North Park Universtiy, Nancy started out majoring in music where she was introduced to all of the woodwinds and stringed instruments.
Once she learned where to put her fingers on those instruments, whether it be a violin, a saxophone, or anything else, Nancy could figure out how to play each of them by ear.
Nancy graduated from North Park with a bachelor's degree in psychology and a minor in education.
Stu Holcomb
Stu Holcomb (left) played college football for Ohio State University, then had a successful career coaching both college football and college basketball.
After retiring from coaching, Holcomb was the athletic director at Northwestern University (1956–1966). Holcomb was the public relations director for the White Sox from 1968 until September 1, 1970, when he was promoted to replace Ed Short as General Manager. He would remain in that role until 1973, when he was succeeded by Roland Hemond.
When Stu Holcomb heard Nancy's arrangement of this Henry Mancini song at a 1969 luncheon which was attended by White Sox management, he was impressed enough to follow up with a letter to Nancy offering her the organist job for the team.
Center Field Perch
When the White Sox first installed an organ at Comiskey Park, it was in the Center Field bleachers, where the white arrow is pointing in this photo.
Amongst The Fans
Nancy said being amongst the fans allowed her to really learn the game, and understand what songs might be appropriate to play at times. Being able to get instant feedback, as well as real time suggestions, only improved Nancy’s skills.
By her third year playing at Comiskey, the organ was moved from the bleachers to behind home plate, putting her even closer to the action.
1970 Opening Day Starting Lineup
Nancy wasn’t given much direction in terms of what she should play as batters approached the plate, or at other times during the games.
“I would suggest that perhaps, in your own mind, you start thinking of music that would be suitable for the park… Little comic gimmicks that involve umpires, players, fans, etc., are always welcome. Enclosed is a roster showing the states where most of our boys live.”
No Matter What Happened On The Field…
… Nancy always seemed to have the perfect song choice to accompany the action.
Nancy’s List
Though nearly all of her musical choices were made off the top of her head, Nancy did have a list she would keep with certain categories to help her remember appropriate songs to play in certain situations.
SOXOGRAM
When Nancy’s organ was moved behind home plate, it allowed her to see the messages displayed on the scoreboard throughout the game, helping her pick appropriate songs that she otherwise would not have been prompted to play.
Bob Creed
Nancy was hired to replace Bob Creed at Comiskey Park. Creed was the organist for the Chicago White Sox, Bulls and Sting. He had played with the Les Paul Orchestra and was staff organist with WLS-TV and radio in Chicago. He was also the organist and music arranger for the nightclub singer/pianist Al “Jealous Heart” Morgan for 28 years.
During her first year, Nancy became aware of a petition that was being circulated to bring Creed back to replace her. Stu Holcomb stood up for Nancy and assured her that her job was safe.
A New Organ At Comiskey Park
In 1960, owner Bill Veeck placed an organ in the center field bleachers at Comiskey Park to try to engage fans White Sox fans during games. It was the perfect promotional event for the Hammond Times to cover, since the Sox installed a Hammond Organ.
Shay Torrent
Shay Torrent was the first organist for the White Sox, hired by Veeck in 1960. Torrent was already an accomplished musician by that point, having released multiple recordings prior to his career as a professional sports organist.
Torrent remained with the White Sox through the 1966 season, after which he moved to California and became the original organist for the Angels. He played for them from 1967 through his retirement in 1985.
Nerves?
Nancy said she really only gets nervous the first time she plays a new song, because she just wants to make sure she can get through it.
“Attractive Organist”
In her first season, Nancy earned $95 per game, which was a very nice living in 1970. Despite her skills and obvious intelligence, Nancy was still described by her looks in some publications.
In 1972, Stu Holcomb, the man who hired Nancy, physically removed Waukegan News-Sun sportswriter Linda Morstadt from the press box. While Nancy was never removed from her position, she also experienced some misogyny and wonders if the petition being circulated by fans in her first season was driven by the fact that she was a woman.
Harry Caray Hired By The Sox
In 1971, the White Sox hired Harry Caray. Even though Nancy still didn’t know too much about baseball, she had friends who were big baseball fans who let her know Harry was coming to town, and that it was something to be excited about.
One of them in particular convinced Nancy to write Harry a letter. This letter was Harry’s response.
Harry and Nancy
From 1945 to 1969, Caray was the voice of the St. Louis Cardinals on KMOX. During those years, he developed a national following, calling three World Series and one All-Star Game. He was named Baseball Broadcaster of the Year seven consecutive times by The Sporting News.
He was the broadcaster for the Oakland Athletics during the 1970 season before taking over for the White Sox in 1971. He remained there for 10 years before leaving to take the Cubs job in 1982. There, he became even more well known nationally as a result of the super station status of WGN Television.
“Carry Me Back to Old Virginny”
Nancy listened to the radio broadcast during games so she could learn more about baseball, and so she could get inspiration for songs to play based on what Harry Caray and his partner, Jimmy Piersall, were discussing.
One of the first times Harry really noticed Nancy’s playing to the point of him mentioning her on air, it was because Nancy played the Ray Charles song “Carry Me Back to Old Virginny” after she was inspired by hearing something Harry said.
“The Mayor Of Rush Street”
Harry Caray promoted all aspects of the game, and was a fan favorite for his stunts like broadcasting games from the bleachers, like he’s doing here in this photo from a 1971 game.
Caray was also a notorious drinker, both on air and off, which was something that connected him with many fans, as well.
Best Seat In The House
By Nancy’s third season in 1972, she was so popular that Stu Holcomb moved her right behind home plate in the upper deck, at Harry Caray’s insistence. 10 box seats were removed so there would be room for her organ.
A Changing Atmosphere
Fans started pouring into Comiskey Park by 1972 since the team was better and because Harry Caray and Nancy were making it such a fun atmosphere. To be surrounded by enthusiastic, knowledgeable fans made Nancy’s job much more fun, and much easier.
Third Base Side
When Bill Veeck came to the park and noticed Nancy’s organ was occupying ten valuable seats in the upper deck directly behind home plate, her organ was moved again.
This time, Nancy was moved down the 3rd base line, which she says actually gave her a better view of Harry’s booth, making it easier for the two to interact and play off of each other throughout the game.
One of Nancy’s favorite songs to play when they would catch each other’s eyes was “I’m Just Wild About Harry.”
Bill Veeck
Bill Veeck didn’t understand right away the connection Nancy had with her fans, or the fact that Nancy had fans of her own. When he initially moved her organ from behind home plate, the fans protested, saying Nancy was a big reason for their enjoyment of the game inside Comiskey Park.
To his credit, Bill Veeck listened to those fans, and gave Nancy a better location down the third base line.
The White Sox are saying “to hell with superstitions!” in this photoshoot, with Nancy under a ladder, and Bill Veeck (right) opening an umbrella indoors.
Bill’s son, Mike Veeck, was our guest for Episode 4 of Season 3. You can listen to that episode HERE.
Famous Footwear
Despite an advertising deal with Famous Footwear, Nancy said she’s actually most comfortable playing the organ shoeless. Joe Jackson would be proud.
It doesn't get much more classic Comiskey Park than this...
Fans All Around
Nancy credits Harry’s enthusiasm for the resurgence in fan attendance at Comiskey Park. She said it was always more fun for her to play the organ when more people were at the games, and also notes that it meant a lot to her that Harry always made it a point to acknowledge Nancy by name, both on the air and over the PA in the stadium.
Dick Allen
In 1972, Dick Allen joined the Chicago White Sox and won the American League MVP, posting a league-leading 37 homers and 1.023 OPS. During that summer, Nancy began playing the title track from the 1970 rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar” whenever Allen would come to the plate. The tradition caught on, and walk-up music was officially A Thing.
“After all,” Nancy said then, “a great many Sox fans think he is another Jesus Christ.”
Allen was one of the most feared sluggers of his era, a star who withstood many injustices in his career. During his best season, he inadvertently helped popularize the player-specific walk-up song.
An Infinite Amount of Songs
Nancy says that since she can basically play any song well enough to get the point across, there’s really no way to even estimate the number of songs she’s played throughout the course of her career.
Popcorn
Nancy would hang out in Dan Evans' office every day (and especially before the first day of a new series) with freshly popped popcorn and talk about the guys on the other team and what was going on with the Sox to learn if there was anything she could learn to make the songs better and more appropriate for the games. The information was nice, but it was really about the popcorn.
Matthew Kaminski
Nancy said if she were the organist for a team today, she would be utilizing social media the way Braves organist Matthew Kaminski does, asking his followers for ideas on what songs to play.
Some of his videos have been played over a million times!
July 29, 1977
The first time Nancy ever played “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” was during the July 29, 1977 White Sox game against the Kansas City Royals.
The Sox were in the heat of a pennant race, and were playing an important game against the second-place Royals, who trailed the Sox by only 3.5 games coming in. The Sox scored 6 runs in the bottom of the 3rd to take a 6-3 lead. Kansas City scored 5 unanswered runs of their own to take back the lead by a score of 8-6 after the top of the 7th.
Nancy had heard the Steam song on her way to the game earlier that day, making note of the word “goodbye” in the lyrics. She tried playing it after a strikeout earlier in the game, to a tame reaction from the Comiskey Park crowd.
The Sox tried to mount a comeback in the bottom of the 7th against wild Royals pitcher Mark Littell. Just before the Sox knocked him out of the game, Nancy tried out the famous song again. This time, the crowd’s reaction was immediate and intense, drawing a comment from broadcaster Jimmy Piersall.
White Sox Theme
Littell walked the next batter, Chet Lemon. The batter after that, Eric Soderholm, reached on an error, and Littell was removed from the game. As he walked back to the dugout, Nancy played the song again, this time to an even bigger crowd reaction.
The Sox went on to score four runs in the bottom of the 7th, taking a 10-8 lead. They added an insurance run in the bottom of the 8th, winning the game 11-8 and increasing their lead in the AL West to 4.5 games over the Royals.
At that point, “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” became the theme song for the White Sox.
Skip ahead to 2:23:35 to hear the crowd really get behind Nancy as she plays the famous song.
The Bard’s Room
Digitally recreated here by architect Brian Powers, the Bard’s Room at old Comiskey Park was an exclusive enclave for media and invited guests. It also included owner/VIP dining, private dining, centralized kitchen and a lot of White Sox history.
Gold Record
The band Steam was suddenly inspired to re-release their record, eight years after its initial success. As a result, the single went gold a second time, and Mercury Records sent Nancy a gold record to acknowledge her role in re-popularizing the song.
A single or an album becomes RIAA Gold certified after it has sold 500,000 units. The very first Gold Single was earned on March 14, 1958 with Perry Como’s “Catch A Falling Star” and four months later the cast album for Oklahoma!, sung by Gordon Macrae, became the first Gold Album.
Ceremony
The White Sox held a big ceremony at Comiskey Park before the game on September 2, 1977 where a representative from Mercury Records presented Nancy with the gold record.
The ceremony was held only 35 days after Nancy had played the song for the first time at the stadium on July 29, meaning the single sold more than 14,000 copies every day since then to achieve its Gold status.
The Bard’s Room
The original Bard’s Room had the feel of a rustic yet upscale upper Midwest cabin — paneled in mahogany, decorated with deer heads, and made warm with a brick fireplace. The White Sox opened the room up to the press on occasion, and the writers soon took it over when Comiskey and his pals passed on or faded away. When Bill Veeck bought the team in 1959, he couldn’t resist the temptation to make the Bard’s Room his personal office, so he did.
Contracts
After Harry Caray left to become the broadcaster for the Cubs, the White Sox signed Nancy to a 5-year contract, scared she would soon join Harry on the North Side.
After 20 years with the club, the White Sox changed Nancy’s status from “independent contractor” to actual team employee, which gave her benefits she still enjoys today.
Feedback
Nancy says she never really got any feedback from the players about her songs, but it was clear that the players were aware of her and that she was beloved.
Here, Nancy poses with White Sox outfielder Walt Williams, who was with the team from 1967 through 1972.
Harold Baines
Nancy also made an impression on Harold Baines. She played “He’s So Shy” for him due to his quiet demeanor.
who mentioned Nancy and her playing during his Hall of Fame induction speech in 2019. Ahead of each one of Baines’ at-bats, Nancy led the crowd in a chant of his name -- like a childhood dream come to life.
"It'd be late in the ballgame and there'd be a whole stand of people saying your name over and over with her playing to it. It'd be a tight ballgame, eighth or ninth inning. I'm coming up and 70% of the time I end up getting a hit to win the game, and that became the famous 'Har-old, Har-old,'" Baines said.
Music On The News?
Once, during an interview on Jonathon Brandmeier’s show, Nancy mentioned how she’d love to play background music for the news since she could think of many appropriate songs based on the stories being discussed.
She may not have exactly gotten that wish, but her music is featured on the Countdown With Keith Olbermann podcast.
Listen to Keith’s podcast HERE.
Billy Martin
It was clear that Nancy’s music was having an impact on the game, and was being noticed by everyone from opposing players to Tigers manager Billy Martin.
“He didn’t like the music I was playing when his team was at bat, and he complained to the umpires, who told me to stop playing,” Faust recalled. “And right away Stu (Holcomb) called and said you keep doing what you’re doing. Don’t be intimidated."
Celebrity
By the mid-1970s, Nancy was becoming insanely popular at Chicago sporting events. She played organ for White Sox home games, but she also played at Chicago Bulls games from 1975 to 1984, at Chicago Sting pro soccer games from 1975 to 1988, at DePaul University Blue Demons basketball games from 1977 to 1981, and at Chicago Blackhawks games from 1984 to 1989.
All of that exposure helped Nancy become a celebrity in her own right, appearing on this May 16, 1976 cover of Midwest magazine.
The Chicago Stadium Organ
For many months prior to its dedication, the Chicago Stadium's 6-51 Barton organ was under construction in the factory of the Bartola Musical Instrument Co. in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
The instrument was designed by Dan Barton, and its building was under the supervision of Alfred Stoll, superintendent at the plant. At the time of its installation, the 7.5 ton console was the largest unit ever constructed, at a cost of $250,000.
It had 51 sets of pipes, with 17 percussions and a drum section which consisted of 6 bass drums, 6 cymbals and 12 snare drums. The wind pressures varied from 15 to 50 inches, with there being 6 ranks of pipes on 50 inches pressure.
Hammond B-3
There were many varieties of the Hammond organ, but the most popular variety, and the one still commonly in use today is the Hammond B-3. The B-3 featured a solid walnut body with four legs and base, a built-in stool, and weighed over 400 pounds.
It had two 61 note keyboards, sometimes called the swell (top) and the great (bottom), a variety of built-in special effects, 9 preset keys for both keyboards (the inversely white and black keys on the bottom octave of each), two sets of nine stops (drawbars) for each manual, a full two octave set of foot pedals with two pedal drawbars built in to the console, and a volume pedal built into the base.
Hammond X-66
Nancy convinced the White Sox to buy the new Hammond X-66 for the 1972 season. It was supposed to be the latest-and-greatest instrument from Hammond, but it ended up having some limitations which made it less versatile than the B-3.
“On Deck”
Though it wasn’t in use at Comiskey Park very long, Nancy used the Hammond X-66 to record a single of her own, titled “On Deck” and released through Pony Express Records.
The B-Side was a 2:50 long medley called “Rah” comprised of the fight songs of the Big Ten schools, and Notre Dame.
A Growing Rig
As the years went on, Nancy became less concerned about the make and model of the organ she was playing, as long as whatever the Sox gave her had two full keyboards and two octaves of pedals.
It was also important that the rig could accommodate a sequencer, a synthesizer, and a drum unit so Nancy could fill out the sounds of the songs she was playing, giving those songs more dimension.
Nancy’s personal organ sold through Chicago White Sox Charities in December of 2015.
No Sheet Music
Notice how in all of these photos of Nancy behind the organ, there is never any sheet music. She doesn’t think she would have been able to have the career she had if she would have needed to play off music, since everything happens so fast and all you have time to do is react and play, not look up the right song for the right moment.
“I was really made for that job. I could never do anything in life as well as I was suited for that.”
A Party Atmosphere
Nancy feels like the affordability of tickets made the games much more accessible to lots of fans, which in turn brought lots of fans to the games and created a party atmosphere at Comiskey.
Everyone was there to have a good time and escape what was going on in the world, and enjoyed weird attractions and weird promotions at the ballpark.
Upbeat and Fun
Nancy always had a smile on her face, which was evident in her playing. Coincidentally, her playing put smiles on the faces of the fans in the crowd, regardless of the team’s win-loss record. Though, it was always more fun to play when the team was doing well and the fans were filling the stands.
Roger Bossard
Roger Bossard is the longest-tenured groundskeeper in MLB history, the longest-tenured White Sox employee, and is affectionately known as “The Sodfather.”
His grandfather Emil and uncle Marshall worked for the Indians and were inducted into the MLB Groundskeepers Hall of Fame. His father, Gene, was the Sox’s head groundskeeper at old Comiskey from 1940 to 1983.
Nineteen of the 30 MLB teams use a patented drainage system that Bossard developed for the opening of New Comiskey Park in 1991.
2005 World Series Ring
When the White Sox won the 2005 World Series, Nancy was the longest-tenured official employee of the team. To commemorate her dedication, the team honored her with her very own World Series ring, which she proudly wears for special occasions to this day.
It was a highlight of her career.
Presidential Recognition
After her retirement, President Barack Obama sent Nancy a personal letter congratulating her on an amazing career.
“Over the course of your career, you have demonstrated the ability of music to harness the energy of a crowd, capture the excitement of a moment, and leave a lasting mark on our memories. Baseball remains our national pastime, and I hope you take pride in the role you have played in enriching this American experience for players and spectators alike.”
Turn Back The Clock Day
The White Sox held MLB's first ever Turn Back The Clock Day on July 11, 1990 against the Brewers. To set the early baseball atmosphere, ballpark ushers wore dated dress and some had megaphones to announce lineups. Ticket prices for general admission were $0.50 and all other tickets were half price. Here, White Sox pitcher Wayne Edwards and manager Jeff Torborg pose with Chicago Sun-Times sportswriter Tom Cruze.
Nancy With Her Accordion
Instead of playing her organ that day, Nancy was walking around in the crowd, appropriately dressed for the occasion, playing her accordion. If you want to watch the broadcast of the whole game, click play on the video above, but if you just want to watch Nancy play for a few seconds, click HERE.
Last Comiskey
Last Comiskey is a 2023 documentary directed by independent filmmaker Matt Flesch. The film chronicles the 1990 Chicago White Sox season, the last year the team played at Comiskey Park, which had been their home stadium since 1910.
Created as a hobby during the COVID-19 pandemic, Flesch's film includes archival footage, interviews with players, coaches, media personalities, stadium employees, and longtime fans.
The Final Game
This still was taken from a home video shot by Nancy’s family on the day of the final game at Old Comiskey Park.
Just look at the emotions of the man in front of Nancy’s organ.
Rain Delays
While players, managers, fans, and especially the media covering the games might not particularly enjoy rain delays, Nancy said she loved them because it afforded her the opportunity to actually play songs in their entirety, instead of just the 8-10 second clips she normally had the time to play between pitches.
This April 5, 2010 photo by Brule Laker may give us insight to another reason Nancy didn’t mind them, especially after the Sox moved to New Comiskey Park: her organ was indoors and completely protected from the elements.
How Different Things Could Have Been…
In February of 1967, while Nancy was still in college, one of her Cubs fan friends sent a letter to Philip K. Wrigley on her behalf, asking if the team would be interested in Nancy playing the national anthem for them.
Mr. Wrigley replied to that 1967 inquiry saying they were not interested in Nancy’s services, leaving the door open for her to join the White Sox organization just a couple years later.
Mea Cubs-a
The Cubs eventually wrote to Nancy two different times, asking if she would come play for them, but her loyalty was solidified on the South Side by then.
Here is one such letter Nancy received from the Cubs, dated April of 1979.
“Sox Math”
White Sox fan and historian Peter Wilt did some number crunching and determined that Nancy Faust has likely played in front of more fans than any musician in the history of the world.
Nancy Faust Night
Tuesday, May 1, 1979 was Nancy Faust Night/Music Night at Comiskey Park. If fans brought a musical instrument to the game, they got in for half price.
Nancy Faust Organist Booth
Dedicated at New Comiskey Park on September 18, 2010, the plaque reads:
“During her legendary 40-year career as the organist for the Chicago White Sox, Nancy Faust entertained White Sox and baseball fans at more than 3,000 games and events. She was credited as the first sports organist to incorporate popular and rock themes - including her trademark rendition of “Na Na Hey Hey (Kiss Him) Goodbye” - into her performance.
“Dubbed “baseball’s best organist” by Sports Illustrated, she was famous for punctuating the game and opposing player at-bat music with personal and witty melodic interludes while entertaining millions of fans.”
Minor Leagues
While she no longer plays full-time, Nancy makes appearances every now and then at special events or minor league games, like this one for the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
National Baseball Hall of Fame
Nancy’s talents and contribution to the game are recognized in an exhibit at the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown called "Women in Baseball."
Michael Jordan
What would Nancy have played as Michael Jordan’s walk-up music had he stuck with baseball and eventually made it to the Major Leagues, as his former minor league manager Terry Francona predicted he would?
Nancy’s idea HERE
My idea HERE
Who could have predicted 50+ years ago when Nancy was playing "Jesus Christ Superstar" for Dick Allen that this is how things would eventually evolve?
An Attraction Unto Herself
Nancy was someone to be excited about, regardless of how the team was performing. During slow games, or slow seasons, visiting her at her organ was an exciting excursion.
A Chicago Girl
Like my mom, Nancy is a Chicago girl through and through. Here is one more picture of Nancy as a child, this one taken in August of 1956 at the age of 9.
No offense to Gladys Goodding, who was a pioneer, but this is what organ music used to sound like at the ballpark.
... and here's how Nancy was inspiring crowds. This was Nancy's last performance of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" during the 7th inning stretch at Comiskey Park during her final game, courtesy of Peter Wilt.
Harry Caray’s 7th Inning Stretch
When Harry Caray went to go broadcast for the Cubs, WGN chose to leave the cameras rolling and stay in the stadium to broadcast him singing “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” during the 7th inning stretch. This helped popularize the tradition nationwide, as WGN was broadcast nationally.
Nancy’s Youthfulness
When Nancy started playing for the White Sox, she was fresh out of college. Her youthful energy informed the way she played the organ, and the way she interacted with Harry Caray during broadcasts.
That playfulness came across to viewers, and made the ballpark a place people wanted to come hang out.
Last Comiskey Book Launch
The accompanying book to Matt Flesch’s documentary Last Comiskey aims to serve as a lasting companion to the documentary, blending photographer Ken Smoller’s photos with new content to capture the essence of Comiskey Park and remind fans of its magic amid discussions of a potential new ballpark.
Ken Smoller (aka “Stadium Vagabond”) is a photographer and writer based in Brookline Massachusetts, with childhood roots in Chicagoland. In over three decades of extensive traveling, he has photographed more than 2,350 stadiums in 48 states and 24 countries.
Buy a DVD copy of the documentary HERE
Order the book HERE
Nancy playing "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" at the Last Comiskey screening in Chicago in May of 2023.
Stadium Vagabond
One of photographer Ken Smoller’s pictures of Nancy playing at Comiskey Park.
Check out Ken’s amazing website HERE
Nancy is behind the organ for this 1981 matchup between the #6 Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the #2 DePaul Blue Demons at the Rosemont Horizon.
Shay Torrent
This vinyl record features Shay Torrent playing songs at California Angel Stadium’s Hammond X-66 organ.
But Torrent was a prolific musician, releasing numerous organ records. Listen to his rendition of “La Paloma” HERE.
Bobby Richardson
Bobby Richardson is a Yankees legend who played second base for the team from 1955 through 1966, winning 3 World Series and 5 Gold Glove Awards. The 8-time All-Star also won the 1960 World Series MVP, despite the Yankees losing the series in 7 games to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Bobby was our guest for Episode 5 of Season 2. You can listen to that episode HERE.
Chicago Tribune Sunday Magazine
Nancy graced the cover of the June 4, 1972 issue of the Chicago Tribune Sunday Magazine, along with White Sox players Bill Melton and Wilbur Wood.
“She’s Nancy Faust, the pixie-ish blonde organist at the Chicago White Sox Ball Park, whose quick wit and impromptu style have made her the darling of thousands of baseball fans. A friendly, popcorn-munching, All-American out-door girl, she even has her own fan club which issues a monthly newsletter called Nancy’s Notes.”
A Bubbly Personality
During a series against the White Sox in Chicago, Kansas City Royals champion George Brett announced his intentions for the 1975 Joe Garagiola Bazooka Big League Bubble Gum Blowing Championship: “I want to go all the way in this thing. I’ve taken a lot of gum with me on this road trip, and I practice more than an hour a day in my room.”
Here, Nancy measures George’s bubble while Pat Kelly and Lee "Bee Bee" Richard of the White Sox look on.
Nancy’s Honors
In addition to her 2005 World Series Ring, she was also awarded this Gold Record from Mercury Records for helping to re-popularize Steam’s song “Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye.”
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Giveaway Contest Prize
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Andy The Clown
Andrew Rozdilsky Jr. was more commonly known as Andy the Clown, performing at White Sox games at the original Comiskey Park from 1960 to 1990.
Rozdilsky dressed as a clown one day to amuse his friends from a local bowling league, and they encouraged him to attend a White Sox game with them in the outfit. Performing as Andy the Clown, Rozdilsky became popular with the crowd. By coincidence, Rozdilsky won White Sox season tickets for 1961 in a Knights of Columbus raffle, and soon began to attend almost every game as Andy the Clown.
Denny McLain
Bob Creed succeeded Shay Torrent as the White Sox organist, and preceded Nancy Faust. Creed was an accomplished organist, but he was also a music teacher.
His most famous student was probably Detroit Tigers pitcher Denny McLain, who released an organ music album of his own after his dominant 1968 season which saw the right hander win the Cy Young Award, the MVP Award, and lead the Tigers to a World Series title over the St. Louis Cardinals.
Gladys Goodding
Gladys Goodding was the first organist in baseball history, joining the Dodgers at Ebbets Field in 1942 and staying until the team moved west.
Originally, she was discovered by Larry McPhail as she played the organ at Madison Square Garden for New York Rangers hockey games. She would later on play at Knicks games. In addition to playing the organ she often sang the National Anthem at Dodger games.
She was famous for playing a song called "Follow the Dodgers" as the team took to the field to start a game at Ebbets Field. You can listen to the song HERE.
“Gladys Goodding, Ebbets Field Organ Queen” by Rob Edelman
John Kiley
John Kiley got his start playing for silent films at the Criterion Theater in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston at the age of 15. His day job was working for local radio station WMEX, where he was the music director from 1934 to 1956. Kiley primarily played before the game and during breaks, often opting for nostalgic music and avoiding more modern rock music.
A popular trivia question among Boston-area sports fans in the 1970s was "Who is the only man to play for the Red Sox, the Bruins, and the Celtics?" referring to Kiley, who played the organs at both Fenway Park and the Boston Garden.
Jane Jarvis
Jane Jarvis was a jazz pianist and organist who played at Milwaukee Braves games beginning in 1955. Jarvis had to learn about baseball on the job. She eventually relocated to New York, working as a music arranger at ABC-TV and Muzak, and became the organist for the New York Mets.
Toby Wright
Because of pressure from the success of the Mets, their new Shea Stadium facility, and the popularity of their organist, Jane Jarvis, Yankees owner Dan Topping installed an organ at Yankee Stadium at the beginning of the 1965 season.
Lowrey organ demonstrator Toby Wright was the first organist for the Yankees, performing the task during the 1965 and 1966 seasons.
E. Michael Burke
Former C.I.A. agent and general manager of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus E. Michael Burke became the new Yankees team president after CBS acquired the team. Burke brought Eddie Layton in to be the Yankees new organist for the upcoming 1967 season.
Eddie Layton
When Eddie Layton was hired to become the Yankees new organist, he had never been to the stadium before and knew nothing about baseball.
Eddie Layton went on to play the organ for the Yankees for over three decades, taking a break from 1971 to 1977 to pursue other musical commitments.
When he retired on September 28, 2003, he played a final performance of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game", while fans chanted his name.
Nancy Faust
While Nancy Faust may not have been the first baseball organist, she’s the best in my book.
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