Someone suggested that I should do a story listing the top 10 anthem performers at Dodger Stadium. Rough to just pick 10. There have been many performers, both professional and amateur at the stadium in its 62 years of existence. Some great, and some not so great. Many remember Frank Sinatra performing the anthem. According to many, it was not one of Frank’s finer moments.
At least he was better than Rosanne Barr when she mangled the anthem in San Diego. I have seen some good ones at games I went to. I saw Toni Tenille several times in the 80’s. Seemed like she was a regular at the time. One of my own personal biggest thrills was getting to sing it there myself. It was the strike year, 1981.
Just going on the field, and getting to meet players in the dugout prior to heading out to center field to perform the anthem was quite a rush. They put the mic up in centerfield in those days.
But I will try to list some that impressed me, picking the 10 best, well that would take a lot of looking at what videos are available on You tube and other media outlets.
Toni Tennille
Some here might not even know who she is. But she was part of the duet of The Captain and Tennille. “Captain Daryl Dragon, and Toni Tennille were mostly popular during the 70’s/ They were a husband and wife pop music duo. Their most popular song was “Love Will Keep Us Together. Tennille actually toured with the Beach Boys for a year in the 70’s and has been referred to as the only Beach Girl.
After the tour, she and the Captain realized they could collaborate, and became a team. They played the Smokehouse in Burbank and became a hit in So-Cal. They did a song written by Tennille called, The Way I Want to Touch You, which became popular on local stations. That led to a recording contract with A&M records. Their first single was a remake of Sedaka’s Love Will Keep Us Together, which became a #1 hit. They were on their way.
They had only one other #1 hit a few years later, but they toured, played at places like Tahoe and other resorts. Toni was a baseball fan and sang at Dodger Stadium a number of times, usually in the 80’s. The Captain died in 2019.
Placido Domingo
One of the best tenors in the business, he also teamed with Luciano Pavarotti and Jose Carreras to form the Three Tenors tour in the 90’s. Domingo is Spanish and is also a conductor.
Frank Sinatra
Old Blue Eyes was a Dodger Stadium regular when back in the day you would see a number of stars at the games. Dorid Day was a huge fan also. A friend of Lasorda’s, he sang the anthem on opening day in 1977. Sinatra was past his prime, but he did a decent job.
Lowell Bassett
I had never heard of this guy, but he sang the anthem at Dodger Stadium many times for a period of 37 years. Must have been pretty good to get to do it that many times.
Slash
One of the more unique renditions was done by Slash, the lead guitar player of Guns n Roses. I remember seeing this one. A real electric performance. Reminded me a little of when Jimmy Hendrix did the anthem years ago.
Brad Paisley
Country stars tend to keep it simple. Paisley is one of the few who can do that with ease. His style is a mix of traditional and modern country. His voice has great range and he can hit the notes easily.
Patti LaBelle
Soul singers tend to use as much range as they can, and LaBelle is no exception. She has great range and can do R&B and soul music. She is also a talented actress.
Barry Manilow
Manilow is one of the most famous pop singers in the world. He has had a string of hits dating back to the late 70’s. A talented vocalist with a lot of range, he sang the anthem on opening day, 2001.
Chaka Khan
One of the best known artists of the genre known as funk-soul, Khan sang the anthem prior to a Dodgers-Pirates game in 2008. In her career, she has won 10 Grammy awards.
Josh Groban
Groban sang the national anthem at Dodger Stadium on opening day this year. He is also an actor and has received primetime Emmy award nominations for his work at the 72nd Tony Awards. A four time platinum album winner, he is one of easy-listening’s biggest stars.
Those are some of the best. I seem to remember Aaron Neville doing the anthem a couple of times. Of course I was privileged to do it once, and it was an experience I will never forget. Unless you have walked on that field prior to a game, you just cannot get what it feels like to perform in front of all those people. Thank you Wes Parker, for helping me live that dream. Photo of me and Jay Johnstone, September 9, 1981.
MiLB GAME SUMMARY REPORTS
OKC Baseball Club 11 – Albuquerque Isotopes (Colorado) 1
OKC won for the third time this week in Albuquerque. They scored 11 runs on 17 hits, including 7 XBH. With pitching, in the bandbox AKA Albuquerque Isotopes Stadium, 5 pitchers allowed a single run.
Landon Knack continued his excellence at AAA. Shutting out the Isotopes (PCL top hitting team) in their yard is outstanding. Landon threw 84 pitches (51 strikes). In his 5.0 IP, Knack allowed 3 hits, 2 BB, with 5 K. Knack now has a 3.25 ERA in the extremely hitter friendly PCL.
Great outing for Landon Knack!
5 IP
3H
1R
5K
0BB
FB was 93-94, slider, change & curveball to pair. After feeling the energy on an MLB setting, it had to help having a packed crowd last night in OKC. Fun atmosphere! He's given up just 2 runs in his last 9.2 IP. #dodgers pic.twitter.com/5PSnxhrlHn— Dodgers Daily (@dodger_daily) May 25, 2024
Gus Varland, Matt Gage, and Mike Flynn pitched the next three scoreless innings, they allowed 2 hits and 1 BB. John Rooney tried to complete the combined shutout, but allowed a run on 3 hits in the 9th.
OKC started the rout in the third. James Outman drew a 2-out walk and came around to score on a Kody Hoese single and fielding error by RF.
In the 5th, Andre Lipcius doubled with 2 outs, and scored on a James Outman 2-run HR.
Hey James, that's Out of this world, Man!@Dodgers outfielder James Outman makes a diving catch, then clubs a two-run homer two innings later for @okc_baseball. pic.twitter.com/IhDbtbVvOS
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) May 31, 2024
In the 7th, Chris Okey led off with a BB. With 2 outs, Outman, Hoese, and Trey Sweeney hit consecutive singles to score 2.
Chris Owings hit a solo HR in the 8th.
Chris Owings starts off the 8th inning with a bang!
That's homer #5 of the season. pic.twitter.com/GKuYMRwD2y
— Oklahoma City Baseball Club (@okc_baseball) May 31, 2024
OKC broke it open with 5 in the 9th.
- James Outman – 3-5, 1 BB, 3 runs, 2 RBI, HR (2) – .333/.524/.567/1.091
- Kody Hoese – 4-4, 1 BB, 1 run, 1 RBI, double (9) – .297/.355/.445/.800
- Andre Lipcius – 2-5, 1 BB, 1 run, 2 RBI, double (11) – .322/.392/.593/.985
- Ryan Ward – 2-5, 1 run, 1 RBI, double (8)
- Chris Owings – 2-4, 1 BB, 2 runs, 1 RBI, HR (5)
- Jonathan Araúz – 2-5, 2 BB, 2 runs, double (10)
- Chris Okey – 1-3, 2 BB, 2 runs, triple (1)
Tulsa Drillers 15 – NW Arkansas Naturals (KC) 3
Another offensive juggernaut with a brilliantly pitched game. Justin Wrobleski pitched 5.0 innings, allowing a single run, 3 hits, and 4 BB. Ronan Kopp pitched a scoreless 2.0 IP, while Jeisson Cabrera finished the final 2.0 IP.
- Alex Freeland – 2-4, 1 HBP, 1 BB, 2 runs, 3 RBI, double (3), triple (1)
- Dalton Rushing – 3-4, 2 BB, 4 runs, 2 RBI, HR (8)
- Yeiner Fernandez – 2-5, 1 run, 2 RBI, double (11)
- Brandon Lewis – 2-5, 1 run, 2 RBI
- Lolo Sanchez – 1-3, 2 HBP, 2 runs, 2 RBI, triple (2)
B1| Dalton Rushing seems to have this ball thing figured out!! 💥
Naturals 0, #Drillers 2 pic.twitter.com/qqfh9Irfmf— Tulsa Drillers (@TulsaDrillers) May 31, 2024
West Michigan Whitecaps (Detroit) 6 – Great Lakes Loons 5
Jackson Ferris was the third excellent starter for the affiliated teams. He completed 5.1 IP. He allowed a 1-out solo HR in the 5th. He allowed a single to open the 6th and after a SB and groundout, Kelvin Ramirez relieved Ferris. A WP and ground out pushed across the second run against Ferris.
Kelvin Ramirez allowed a solo HR in the 7th to give WM a 3-1 lead.
Great Lakes tied the score with 2 in the top of the 8th with a Dylan Campbell BB, Kyle Nevin, and sac fly.
Edgardo Henriquez unraveled in the 8th, allowing 3 runs.
Great Lakes got closer in the 9th with 2 more runs. Jake Gelof had a 1-out single. Luis Rodriguez drew a BB. Jake Vogel hit into a force out. Noah Miller singled to score Gelof with Vogel moving to 2B. Dylan Campbell singled home Vogel and Miller moving to third. Campbell stole 2B, but Kyle Nevin ended the rally with a strikeout to end the game.
- Dylan Campbell – 2-3, 2 BB, 2 runs, 1 RBI
- Kyle Nevin – 2-5, 1 run, 1 RBI, triple (2)
Lake Elsinore Storm (San Diego) 4 – Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 2
RC jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a Josue De Paula double (11) in the 1st and a De Paula HR (5) in the 3rd.
MLB's No. 81 prospect (@Dodgers) Josue De Paula puts his power on display with fifth homer of the season for the Single-A @RCQuakes. pic.twitter.com/pMG6ksGugx
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 31, 2024
Lake Elsinore scored 4 runs off 3 Quakes pitchers.
RC had three hits. Logan Wagner doubled (3) to go with De Paula’s double and HR
De Paula’s stock continues to rise with every HR.
LAD ACL 10 – KC ACL 3
- Eduardo Quintero – 2-4, 1 BB, 2 runs, 0 RBI
- Jefferson Valladares – 2-4, 2 runs, 1 RBI
- Victor Rodrigues – 2-3, 1 BB, 1 run, 2 RBI
- Doubles – Jose Meza (6), Jaron Elkins (3)
- Triples – Cameron Decker (1)
Cool report, Bear. What an eclectic roster….and why not add yourself?
I always assumed that Linda Ronstadt had sung the anthem, but maybe she just looked good in a Dodgers jacket.
Please clear this up this controversy–and share an image of Linda.
I think James Outman will be back sooner than later. Playing every day has to help. If Vargas gets steady playing time, I think Pages will be the odd man out. Outman is a better defender. But they still might deal and should deal for another steady bat.
Rushing has thunder in that bat. Very Muncy-esque.
I have no memories of anyone singing the anthem. Would love to have seen and heard Linda sing it.
Outman should return soon. Of note is Ward is OPSn 1.000 with 14 home runs but who cares cuz he doesn’t walk much and is 26. Rushing and Freeland should generate trade interest. I wonder which catcher in the organization is targeted to help the ML club. With all his concussions I kinda figured Smith might be considered for a position change but….
Knack appears to be the #6. Good for him.
Is there a star hidden in the system?
Any reason Lt Frank Drebin wasn’t included on this list?
I’d rank his anthem performance at Dodger Stadium in the top 10 all time.
Ahhhh. What might have been. The Dodgers were reportedly set to pick Gunnar Henderson as their 1st round pick in 2019. Instead they chose Kody Hoese (#25 overall) and Michael Busch (#31 overall) over Henderson. The O’s had to pinch themselves after selecting Adley Rutschman overall #1, they found Gunnar Henderson still available for their 2nd round pick (#42) overall. LAD chose college power over the HS SS, and now that HS SS shows way more power than either Hoese or Busch.
https://twitter.com/SlangsOnSports/status/1796382295135330690
Can’t say it was the $$. Henderson signed for less than either Hoese or Busch.
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Just how much can we expect Baltimore to spend in prospect capital for pitching. They just lost 2 SP to TJ surgery: John Means and Tyler Wells. This is the second TJ surgery for Means since April 2022. There is no word as to whether either are full TJ or internal brace.
They have a good five still, and Dean Kremer is just about ready to come off the IL. They also have 2 MLB ready in AAA: 24 year old LHSP Cade Povich (#9 Baltimore prospect) and 25 year old RHSP Chayce McDermott (#8 Baltimore prospect).
Their SP has been very good thus far, so they are more likely to try for that elite closer. Their relief #s are middle of the pack.
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Toronto’s RHP Alek Manoah is facing a long absence with an apparent elbow injury. He is going in for a 2nd opinion.
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St. Louis’ OF Lars Nootbaar is going back on the IL, this time for an oblique injury. Could be another team looking for an OF.
Add your Anthem video here for our viewing pleasure Bear.
Oh say can you see,
By the trade deadlines dawn,
What AF might do,
As the rumors are streaming.
Did not take long for the Mariners to fire former LAD hitting strategist Brant Brown (2018-2022). Brown was hired by Seattle in December 2023 as offensive coordinator and bench coach, only to be fired less than 6 months later.
Seattle was 10th in HR but 28th in BA, 27th in OBP, 24th in OPS, and 28th in OPS. You got to love that HR or bust mentality.
Evan Phillips has been activated for tonight’s game. Elieser Hernandez has been DFA’d.
Dodger defense on display again. It was ruled a hit but the ball to Rojas should have been fielded. Pages with a two base error and Buehler looking rusty again.
It’s the Rockies so the Dodgers should score.
It looks like the automatic outs are still producing. 4-11 with a BB. Top 3 are 0-11 with a BB. We need Scott to come on and tell us how much the Dodgers top 3 suck. 😍