For everyone who’s ever wondered why you sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh inning stretch (or why you request to be taken to a game when you’re already at the ballpark), Amy Whorf McGuiggan has the answer. McGuiggan gives a detailed overview of the social, cultural, and historical context in which the song was written. In 1908, America was baseball crazy. The game had evolved to something similar to what we know it as today, and both men and (heavens) even women* were fans. “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” was written on the subway by vaudeville song and dance man Jack Norworth, who reportedly had never attended a professional baseball game. The music was composed by Albert von Tilzer, who was one of a number of Tin Pan Alley musicians cranking out songs during that time. Norworth debuted the song in April 1908 on stage. McGuiggan gives the reader the full picture of how the song developed, soared in popularity, and might have been relegated to the “isn’t that a quaint old song” file had Harry Caray and Bill Veeck not revived it during the 1970s. This is a quick, fun read, with plenty of turn-of-the-century graphics.
*The verse (which practically no one knows) actually talks about Katie Casey (yes, a girl) who wants a beau to take her to the ballgame–we just sing the chorus during the 7th inning stretch.
Don’t judge a book by its cover, judge it by baseball’s magic numbers:
page 27
line 9
first 3 words: “and children, and”
Baseball Books 
Very good my bit about the song did not have the definitive details for which I am now so gratefull to know. My topic I titled it Baseball Song at http://www.baseballfarming.com/BaseballSong.html