'Sounds and Lyrics of Baseball' at CCC

Impressive athletic prowess – whether it be a seemingly effortless
swimming stroke, a well-choreographed football play or the perfect
bat-ball connection – is often deemed “poetry in motion.”

However, a form of sporting poetry will be explored when Camden County College’s Center for Civic Leadership and Responsibility presents the “Sounds and Lyrics of Baseball” on Tuesday.

CCC music instructor Robert Smith will take attendees “out to the ball
game” when he explains how music and poetry have combined to enhance
the enjoyment of America’s favorite pastime at during the 7 p.m. event,
which will be held in Civic Hall, according to a news release from the college. The venue is located inside the Connector Building on the Blackwood Campus, which is at College Drive and Peter Cheeseman Road in Gloucester Township. Ample free, off-road parking is available.

Tunes and turns of phrase have long been a part of baseball’s history,
dating back to the 1880s with the classic poem “Casey at the Bat.”
The 1908-penned “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” has endured as a
seventh-inning-stretch sing-along, with legendary Chicago announcer
Harry Caray notably leading the ritual during his years with the White
Sox and the Cubs. And Neil Diamond’s 1969 hit “Sweet Caroline” has
been a mainstay for Boston Red Sox fans at Fenway Park for more than
15 years.

Smith will be accompanied in his presentation by Camden County College
music students. “Sounds and Lyrics of Baseball,” which is free and
open to the public, also offers the opportunity for educators to
attend to earn professional development credit. The event is made
possible by a grant from the Camden County College Foundation.

To attend “Sounds and Lyrics of Baseball,” contact the Center for
Civic Leadership and Responsibility at (856) 227-7200, ext. 4333, or
CCLRregistrations@camdencc.edu. Information about future events is
available on the College website at www.camdencc.edu or by following
@CenterForCivic on Twitter.