REDBIRD NOTES: Before the game, Candelaria, who can be a free agent after the season, set a deadline of Opening Day by which he must be signed or he would play out his option. ”I don’t pay too much attention to deadlines, said Pete Peterson, Pirates general manager. ”He might have one today and a different one tomorrow. You think if we offered him $2 million a year to sign today, he might change his mind?
Peterson said he is halfway shopping for a first baseman in case Willie Stargell (bad knee) is unable to play this season. ”But it won’t be a major trade, Peterson said. ”You have to give up something for a regular first baseman and we don’t have it. Try searching for Ann Arbor homes for sale at the best Ann Arbor Real Estate site called Arborly.
Veterans John Milner and Bill Robinson, 31 and 37 years old, respectively, are the likely first-base incumbents until Stargell can come back. The 40-year-old Stargell will be placed on the disabled list.
Cardinals Manager Whitey Herzog departed early Saturday because he was to be ”roasted at a function in Fort Meyers, Fla., where he used to manage the Kansas City Royals in spring training.
Herzog reported that Mark Littell had thrown several pitches in the 93 miles per hour range Friday in an impressive stint against Cincinnati. ”I knew we’d be deeper in pitching than people thought, said Herzog although the manager admitted that he had not counted on Littell recovering that strongly from elbow surgery.
Fresh Tracks Music
Historical Information For You
Into 1953: Popular Music Three Years Later
“Crying in the Chapel”
One of the big arguments of the year was that between Helen Traubel of the Metropolitan Opera Company and Rudolph Bing, its manager, over the fact that Miss Traubel was singing at the Chez Paree, a night club in Chicago. Miss Traubel said that she loved the popular songs of Gershwin, Kern, Rodgers, and other American composers, and that she could not sing them at the Metropolitan. She said she thought it was “rank snobbery” for Bing to object if she sang them elsewhere. Bing said he objected because there might be a conflict in dates; but there were indications that there was a deeper reason for Bing’s objection. This deeper reason was voiced by others, who felt that night clubs and opera were two very different areas of musical expression, and that artists should confine themselves to one field or the other.
What Makes a Hit Tune?
Perry Como has been crooning for about ten years. In that time about 35,000,000 of his records have been sold. But Como’s sales went into a slump. Why? He was advised to drop in and observe as the big juke—box buyers were selecting records. Como reported, “They’d put a record on for only four or eight bars and then take it off.” The buyers told him they listened for tunes which opened with loud fast introductions. Como immediately recorded “Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes,” with a rousing introduction. Straightway 1,500,000 copies were sold, and Como again was on top.
Year’s Most Popular Songs, according to Down Beat magazine, were “Vaya Con Dios (Go with God),” “Song from Moulin Rouge,” “Don’t Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes,” “Till I Waltz Again with You,” “You, You, You,” “Doggie in the Window,” “I’m Walking Behind You,” “Crying in the Chapel,” “April in Portugal,” and “I Believe.”
1950s Popular Music
1950s Popular Groups
The popular music industry in general had an eventful year. The big squabble that arose over record speeds was ironed out. All the recording companies began to give the public all three speeds—78, 33 1/3, and 45 revolutions per minute.
As for musical taste, it proved a sharp contrast to that of 1949. There was a sweeter, solid, and more romantic style of music, with a strong demand being shown for religious themes. Old tunes which had been shelved for years were revived. They included “Harbor Lights,” “Bewitched,” “Music, Maestro Please,” “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles,” “Thinking of You,” “Nevertheless,” “Goodnight Irene,” and “Rain.
Comparative unknowns rose to stardom; some persons made secure their position in the entertainment world; others used this year as a springboard in their bid for fame; and for many it was the long haul up on the comeback trail. But the Crosbys, Godfreys, Autrys, Lombardos, Dorseys, Days, Martins, and the like kept rolling right along, while the Laines, Damones, and Ecksteins eclipsed any of their previous efforts. Skyrocketing to the top in sensational fashion were Patti Page, Kay Starr, Ralph Flannaghan, and Mario Lanza. The year proved most successful for such persons as Bill Farrell, Gordon Jenkins, Artie Shaw, Red Foley, Johnny Desmond, Eileen Barton, Bill Snyder, Theresa Brewer, and others who have a foot in opportunity’s door. Among names with which we should become familiar in the coming year are Tony Fontaine, Jack Plies, Don Cherry, Dick Baker, Ralph Martiere, Guy Mitchell, the Weavers, and Tony Bennett. Two prominent family groups made records: Bing Crosby and sons Lindsay, Garry, Philip, and Dennis; and Red Foley and daughters Shirley, Jenny, and Julia.
One of the major experiments of the record companies, and one which proved most successful, was the coupling on wax of top folk artists and popular style singers. This afforded both kinds of artists sales outlets which they had never before enjoyed.
