Cubs use Caray video for 7th-inning stretch
Late iconic broadcaster leads fans in 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame'
CHICAGO -- Harry Caray sang the seventh-inning stretch again at Wrigley Field in Friday's 2-1 loss to the Marlins.
The late Cubs broadcaster led the crowd of 41,212 in "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" via a video on the new scoreboard at the 100-year-old ballpark.
The Cubs decided to play the video of Caray, who died in 1998, after fans told them how much they wanted to see some of the legends connected to the team. This is the first season for the video scoreboards at Wrigley Field, installed in left and right fields.
"One of the things that we think would be really fun is to bring back a number of our departed historic figures, like Harry Caray, Ernie Banks, Ron Santo," said Cubs president of business operations Crane Kenney. "We want to bring them back to the fans via the video board."
The Cubs believed Friday was the perfect timing for Caray because the bleacher construction was completed. Caray occasionally did his broadcasts from the bleachers.
"We listen to the fans," Kenney said. "We're learning from them."
Caray, Banks and Santo all performed the seventh-inning stretch. The Cubs will primarily have live singers who will continue to sing from the press box, Kenney said, but on occasion, they will utilize some video footage of past performances.