National Poetry Month: Casey II

Every April, during National Poetry Month, it has been my habit to share at least one poem with you in this space. Additionally, I usually have at least something to say about the return of baseball across the nation. Well, now we have reached the end of the month, so what better way to continue both traditions than sharing a poem about baseball?

Almost everyone has at least a passing familiarity with Ernest Thayer’s epic poem, “Casey at the Bat.” Originally published in the San Francisco Examiner on June 3, 1888, it bore the subtitle “A Ballad of the Republic Sung in the Year 1888.” Of course, that poem ended tragically when Casey, the Mudville Nine’s star player, struck out with the tying runs on base to end the game.

The poem reprinted below claims to tell the rest of the story. It appeared in the book The Book of Sequels, authored by Henry Beard, Christopher Cerf, Sarah Durkee, and Sean Kelly. It was published in 1990 by Random House (copyright 1990 by Christopher Cerf Associates, Inc.).

While the book has the assorted authors listed above, Christopher Cerf is the poet who provides Casey with the chance at redemption.

Casey II: It Ain’t Over ‘til It’s Over

No,

there was no joy in Mudville,

Casey hung his head in shame,

It seemed his futile third-strike whiff

Had cost his team the game.

The crowd turned mean and surly,

They began to cheer and boo,

But just then, something happened –

Something too good to be true!

Casey heard a curse behind him

And he saw the catcher sprawl,

From the pitcher came a muffled scream:

“You jerk, you dropped the ball!”

Down the baseline Casey bolted;

In a flash he reached first base,

Then he scampered off to second

At a world-class sprinter’s pace.

Well, the backstop hurled the horsehide

With a grace that few could match:

His throw was hard and straight and strong –

And far too high to catch!

It soared into the outfield;

Jimmy Blake came into score,

And when Flynn raced home from second base

The game was tied a four!

Casey’s legs kept right on pumping

As he watched the errant ball;

“Holy Cow!” screamed the announcer,

“Jeez, it’s gonna reach the wall!”

‘Round third the stalwart slugger sped;

He hurtled toward the plate,

But the centerfielder’s throw was true –

Would Casey be too late?

Yes … but Casey rocked the catcher

As he stretched to make the play,

And they say that even Samson

Would have dropped the ball that day.

So our hero spiked the dish!

The Mudville Nine had won the game!

Now the crowd shouts “Put our Casey

Into the Baseball Hall of Fame!”

But would the fans applaud him –

Would they scream and wave their hankies –

If they knew he’d played his option out

And signed on with the Yankees?