Major League Baseball's post-season is in full swing - the Baltimore Orioles made the playoffs (but sadly left the playoffs after a quick 0-2 series with the Kansas City Royals. However, the scorching summer heat has somewhat given way to some crisp Autumn days - 'tis the peak season of baseball for fans of all ages! We now take a moment to reflect on a spectacular day of baseball on September 19th, just a few blocks away from Camden Yards. On that day we were delighted to attend the hometown release of Tim Newby's latest book, "The Original Louisville Slugger: The Life and Times of Forgotten Baseball Legend Pete Browning," at Pickett Brewing Company in Baltimore. If Newby's name sounds familiar, you may know him from his two prior books, "Bluegrass in Baltimore: The Hard Drivin' Sound and Its Legacy" and, more famously, "Leftover Salmon: Thirty Years of Festival!"
We could not have asked for better weather or setting for this spectacular evening of baseball, beer, and bluegrass. We gathered inside Pickett Brewing Company, located deep in the heart of the Pigtown section of Baltimore, just a few blocks from Camden Yards and M&T Bank Stadium. Outside the venue, an appropriately placed food cart sold a mouth-watering selection of sliders and dogs as organizers littered the tables with Cracker Jacks. The triple play of celebration commenced as beer, baseball, and bluegrass would intersect inside Picket Brewing's main room - otherwise known as "The Big Little Bluegrass Room" with an all-star band of bluegrass musicians with John Bolten and Sarah Larsen from Geraldine, Greg Garrison from Leftover Salmon, Ryan Rogers from the Dirty Grass Players, and Danny Stewart from Country Current.
The mood was set as attendees saddled up to the bar and ordered beers brewed and crafted on the premises, including an appropriately named "Kentucky Slugger" created just for this evening. Attendees then spread out amongst the bluegrass room, sitting at tables and couches.
As the clock struck 7:30 PM, the evening would start with a bluegrass-inspired "Take Me Out To the Ballgame," as host Tim Newby welcomed everyone around this intimate bluegrass baseball diamond. Newby began by reading a passage from his new book and introduced us to Pete Browning. This evening, we were transported to the blue moons and pastures of Kentucky set upon the sounds of a five-piece bluegrass band. Newby was quick to point out that there have been over 20,000 professional baseball players and that some have been lost to history. Through meticulous research, Newby breathed life back into one of the more eccentric characters in baseball history.
Setlist & Schedule
Tim Newby was not the only historian in the room. When it was time for another musical interlude, Sarah Larsen from Geraldine showed her own historical prowess by discussing the songs and life of Earl Scruggs. After a song, Newby talked about the immense connection between bluegrass and baseball, which goes back to the father of bluegrass himself - Bill Monroe. Monroe, he went on to discuss, was quite the competitive person and recruited pro baseball players to be part of his road crew to help field his own baseball team. The connection between bluegrass and baseball was more substantial than most of us realized.
The evening included a curated selection of songs from bluegrass standards to "The Bug" by Dire Straights. The evening was filled with clever references to baseball as "The Bug" included the lyrics "Sometimes you're the Louisville slugger baby / Sometimes you're the ball." Who knew that a British hit from the early 1990s could be perfectly arranged for bluegrass? Newby discussed aspects of Browning's life, and the band drew from the vast swath of relatable bluegrass songs. After Newby discussed the types of baseball bats Browning used, including a massive bat by today's standards, the band sang a relatable "Nine Pound Hammer" by Merle Travis as Danny Stewart from Country Current shucked some corn for us all.
As we learned more about bourbon, affectionately known as "sweet tonsil varnish" by Browning, we learned more about the eccentric life that Browning led, highlighting some of the many triumphs, tragedies, and eccentricities of this mythical baseball player.
What stood out most amongst the music and stories was Newby's passionate storytelling. The audience was mesmerized and drawn in by Newby's storytelling. The brewery was hushed as we listened to Newby on his pitcher mound, passionately reaching back into history, breathing life into this long-forgotten legend of baseball. How does one write a book about a 19th-century player - especially when that player was illiterate? Newby painstakingly researched sports stories from the time and read game reports from the fourteen hundred games that Browning played. We can only hope that Newby creates an audiobook version of this book where his passion and reverence for baseball can be heard and not just read by baseball history fanatics.
John Bolten from Geraldine, a masterful lyricist who has already crafted the title song "In The Water" for the Baygrass Music Festival, introduced a new song he wrote about Browning, "Drunk on the Diamond." Newby would leave the audience with the social commentary: "When the choice is to pick between truth and legend, we pick the legend." To that end, to hear Newby passionately tell the story of this legend was spectacular. What a fitting way to hold a ceremony to breathe life into a true legend of the game.
John Bolten of Geraldine
The evening would end with two appropriate songs. The first was a fitting tribute to Browning, "Sitting On Top Of The World" by Walter Vinson and Lonnie Chatmon. The last song, "Centerfield" by John Fogerty was introduced by Greg Garrison of Leftover Salmon. Garrison introduced the song by talking about how his father is a season ticket holder for the Colorado Rockies and how one of his favorite things to do is take his grandson to see the Rockies play. Garrison would remark how this last song was amongst his son's favorite songs. After the brief and heartfelt introduction, the entirety of Pickett Brewery joined in singing "Centerfield," which itself has become interwoven into the fabric of baseball. The younger Garrison, with a microphone and miniature bass in hand, helped lead the evening to a climactic and joyous conclusion. This moment was a perfect way to end an evening - as the love of America's favorite pastime was shared and passed down from one generation, breathing new life into both the legend and humanity of Pete Browning.
For those who want to read more about Pete Browning, we highly recommend picking up your copy of this book in bookstores and online retailers. Looking towards the future, we look forward to the next book by Tim Newby - whatever it may be, he will write with passion and draw us into his web of storytelling.
For those who appreciate bluegrass in Baltimore, we recommend stopping at Pickett Brewing Company Wednesday through Sunday. Pickett Brewing Company is an independent brewery owned by Jason Howard and Kate Conway, who are bluegrass lovers. Each third Thursday of the month, the brewery hosts bluegrass jams between 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM. Bring your instrument or your ears to 1130 S. Paca Street and try a new beer, pick to your heart's delight, enjoy Baltimore's bluegrass scene, and make new friends.
Enjoy "The Big Little Bluegrass Room" at Pickett Brewing
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Additional Resources
Additional Resources
Additional
Resources
To learn more about The Original Louisville Slugger
To learn more about Tim Newby
To learn more about Pickett Brewing Company
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