Peace of Heart Choir Sings at Staten Island Yankees Game
by Carrie Wesolowski
all photos by Frank Asencio
This performance was made possible in part by funding
from the Richmond County Savings Foundation
On August 29th we made our third outing to the Richmond County Ballpark to sing The National Anthem at the Staten Island Yankees game after a postponed game back in July on a day that reached a triple-digit heat index. No such oppressive heat this time. Nothing but a pleasantly mild breeze and blue skies to welcome us back.
However, first we performed a set outside the entrance to the stadium, looking spiffy in our new bright blue Peace of Heart Choir caps as we sang "Siyahamba/Shosholoza," "Singing for Our Lives," "Paz Y Libertad," "Peace Like a River," and "Down by the Riverside."
The choir performing outside the ballpark, before the game.
Choir members Carrie, Gail and Brooke smile as they file into the stadium.
Before we got to perform our next number, Rene got a 4-minute warning from a staff member. Time to hustle. So off we went, making our way into the stadium and to our holding area behind the field. We waited excitedly…
As video cameras rolled and we strained to get a better look from behind the field, the first pitch was thrown magnificently by our hometown hero Anthony to enthusiastic applause.
Now it was our turn. We lined up and made our way onto the field to sing The National Anthem--our images projected onto the screen behind us. We hit it out of the park with a glorious rendition of The National Anthem.
As we made our way off the field, an audience member in one of the front rows exclaimed to me, “You all sounded great!” A sentiment reechoed by a Staten Island Yankees staff member as we walked off the field to find our reward backstage. We were reunited with Scooter, the Staten Island Yankees mascot who posed happily for selfies with us, putting a smile on all our faces.
Now it was time to settle in for the game:
Choir member Anthony Hasan throws out the first pitch!
Take us out to the ballgame, take us out with the crowd.
Buy us some peanuts and Cracker Jack (John bought us some Cracker Jacks)
We don’t care if we ever get back (Many of us caught the 10:00 and 10:30 ferries back)
Let us root, root, root for the home team (The Staten Island Yankees)
All we need is one chance
There isn’t anyone else like Peace of Heart Choir
Maybe we’ll go down in history: (Anthony’s triumphant first pitch) + (The choir’s fantastic voicing of the National Anthem) + (Later, Lis’s beautiful rendition of “God Bless America”)
Peace of Heart Choir were stars at the old ball game!!! *
In Harmony,
Carrie Wesolowski, Alto 1
* Lyrics paraphrased from the chorus of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” by Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer, 1908)