I started crying while listening to her play brought back those fond memories of Shea while growing up in the 1960's. It made me come to realize that time really does slip away and that we are here only but for a 'short dance.'
Not sure why I remember this but the Mets had a relief pitcher in 1976-77 named Bob Apodaca and whenever he entered a game Jane would play "Abba Dabba Dabba said the monkee to the chimp" and we would crack up every time. She definitely added something to the game that is now sorely lacking
Apodaca was not the only one who got that treatment from Jane Jarvis. In the early 70s when Danny Frisella would come in, she would play Tarantella. Tug McGraw would get an Irish Jig. The funniest intro song I remember came in late 1967 when Les Rohr came in to start a game, and Jane broke into the theme from the cartoon series "Linus The Lionhearted" , the first four words of the theme being ""Roar, Roar Roar Roar ". She occasionally had fun with batters too, but that's another subject.
We were friends for many years...I miss her calls and good wishes..She would play for me over the phone during her difficult late years in her 90's..Try to track down her interview with Marian McPartland on the 'net'..well worth it..
Holy cow! In the first picture you see of Jane Jarvis, she's wearing a rather loud plaid sports jacket just like Lindsey Nelson usually did during his 17 seasons broadcasting the Mets (1962-1978). :^)
1:39-1:58- that picture of Jane was in the Mets yearbook from the late sixties to pretty much through the 70's, when you got to the part near the end of the yearbook that showed the mugs of the brass and other Shea employees.
As a lifelong Bostonian, I was much more familiar with the late Eddie Layton's (another class act) work at old Yankee Stadium than Jane's; she was gone by '86 (not a very happy year up here). But this lady just might have been the classiest organist in MLB history. This is a fine sampler of her work at Shea. Jane was also the Milwaukee Braves' organist during their '50s glory years. I have friends who grew up there back then; they were Braves, not Brewers, fans. (They left Wisconsin for professional reasons 40 years ago but still love the Badgers, Packers and [by proxy] Brew Crew.) I'll bet they loved Jane's music too! All the great ballpark organists today are either retired or no longer with us, and their roles are much too limited today thanks to all that "walkup music" and canned junk. I've heard that the current Milwaukee organist, Dean Rosko, is fantastic. What little I've heard of him here is great- and how can you beat "Beer Barrel Polka" (Wisconsin's co-state song with the great "On Wisconsin!") at the 7th-inning stretch? Thanks for this taste of a first-class musician.
The braves organist, Matthew Kaminski is awesome and controversial. He plays cheeky walk up music for the opposing team. Sometimes the players get offended, for example, for Lucas Duda , he used to play "Camptown Races" (DOO- DAH, DOO-DAH!) Or he'll do things that are more hip that you have to figure out like a puzzle. For Michael "Conforto", he often plays Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb." Some are a lot more obscure. He lists what he's going to play for opposing team walk up music on his Facebook page, and even asks for suggestions. Love him!
I knew the National Anthem as a kid BECAUSE the Mets used to televise it before each game. Almost NEVER gets televised now, outside of the postseason and the super bowl. Oh yeah, I also used to hear it when television stations "signed off" for the night and became a test pattern!
@@garycitro1674That's one thing I don't miss is the high-pitched sine wave along with the rainbow color bars test card at sign off (closedown US). I even remember the dartboard test pattern with the "oooooooooooooooooooooh" sine wave. As a little kid I found that scary 😳.
Old timers day1975, it was Casey's last and he came on to the field in a Roman chariot. Was rather strange. Was that Jane talking? Recording must have been done inside her booth during the game?
Thank goodness Howie Rose had the motivation and foresight to have Jane make high quality recordings of her playing Meet the Mets and Let's go Mets late in her life. Otherwise this is all we would have.
@@brickyardhillstudios Don't get me wrong, I'm really glad it exists and I thank you for posting it! I'm an organist, and I always wanted Jane's job as a kid. I can't believe they sort of have a part-time guy now, and I don't even know his name. I'll take organ Music over a head banging garbage and manufactured "applause meter" nonsense anytime.
@@garycitro1674 definitely wish there was more Jane. Another place to find some Jane is the raw feed of the 1969 works series in between innings. And yes more organ; less stadium noise!!
Howie Rose actually went over to her apartment and arranged some quality recordings of "Meet the Mets" and I believe "Let's Go Mets" which was the song that Jane composed for when they ran out on the field. I LOVED that song.
