Grand Prize Winner Will Lead Crowd During 7th Inning Stretch of the 2008
All-Star Game
NEW YORK, June 13 -- Major League Baseball Properties and
Baby Ruth(R) today announced the semi-finalists in the nationwide Baby Ruth
"Take Me Out to the Ballgame" Video Contest. The semi-finalists represent
some of baseball's most creative and passionate fans. The national video
contest is sponsored by Baby Ruth, the Official Candy Bar of Major League
Baseball, in celebration of the song's 100th anniversary. The
semi-finalists' videos were selected by a panel of judges from MLB, MLB.com
and Baby Ruth.
Through June 30th, fans will have the chance to vote for their favorite
video at MLB.com/babyruth. The three videos with the most votes will be
deemed Finalists and perform on Monday, July 14th at 10am EDT in the finale
judging event at the 2008 DHL All-Star FanFest during the 2008 All-Star
Week, where a panel of judges will choose one grand prize winner. Each
finalist will receive travel and hotel accommodations plus tickets to the
2008 DHL All-Star FanFest and All-Star Game for him/herself and a guest to
New York City.
The Grand Prize Winner will receive the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
to lead the singing of the beloved song during the 7th Inning Stretch of
the 2008 All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium, the final season at the historic
stadium.
A complete list of the "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" finalists (in
alphabetical order):
NAME VIDEO NAME HOMETOWN
Aaron Aviles I Just Love Life Los Angeles, CA
Christina D'Anza Baby Ruth, City to City Spotsylvania, VA
Tyler Duke Katie Casey Weston, WI
Crystal Gibbs Baby Ruth Checkers Fort Bragg, NC
Chad Gunderson All Star Dream Sherman Oaks, CA
Robert Huffman Katie Casey was Baseball Mad Birmingham, AL
(Harmonica)
Nick Straatmann A Trip Through History Villa Ridge, MO
Adam Wilbur Baby Ruth-ulele Medford, NY
Dave Zelechoski What Are You Waitin' For Lewisburg, PA
The "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" song was originally composed in 1908
by Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer, neither of whom had ever been to a
Major League Baseball game. The song is the third most frequently sung tune
in the United States after "Happy Birthday" and the "Star Spangled Banner,"
and has sold over 10 million copies in sheet music and/or records. Over the
past one hundred years more than 400 musicians in every conceivable genre
have recorded the song including Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, LL Cool J,
The Goo Goo Dolls and Jimmy Buffett. The original lyrics are now part of
the collection at the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library in
Cooperstown.
About Major League Baseball Properties
The Major League Baseball Clubs formed Major League Baseball Properties
(MLBP) in 1966 as the Clubs' agent for marketing and trademark licensing
and protection. Major League Baseball Properties is responsible for
managing consumer licensing activities, developing national advertising
campaigns, cultivating sponsorship opportunities with major consumer brands
and corporations, growing the game and the business of baseball outside the
United States and creating national marketing programs in conjunction with
Clubs, broadcast rightsholders and national sponsors. MLBP also operates a
full-service video and audio production unit (Major League Baseball
Productions), a publishing division and stock photo licensing agency, and
manages logistics for the All-Star Game and World Series as well as all
other special events. For more information on Major League Baseball, log on
to http://www.MLB.com.
About Baby Ruth
Nestle Baby Ruth(R) is the official candy bar of Major League Baseball
and an American favorite. Created in 1921, Baby Ruth gives candy lovers
reason to "savor the good stuff" with whole roasted peanuts, chewy nougat,
and rich, creamy caramel. Learn more at http://www.babyruth.com.
Named one of "America's Most Admired Food Companies" in Fortune
magazine for the eleventh consecutive year, Nestle USA provides quality
brands and products that bring flavor to life every day. From nutritious
meals with Lean Cuisine(R) to baking traditions with Nestle(R) Toll
House(R), Nestle USA makes delicious, convenient, and nutritious food and
beverage products that enrich the very experience of life itself. That's
what "Nestle. Good Food, Good Life" is all about. Nestle USA, with 2007
sales of $8.25 billion, is part of Nestle S.A. in Vevey, Switzerland -- the
world's largest food company -- with sales of $90 billion. For product news
and information, visit Nestleusa.com or NestleNewsroom.com.
Contact: Matt Bourne or Sarah Leer, Major League Baseball, (212)
931-7878
Matt Gould, MLB Advanced Media, (212) 485-8959
Tricia Bowles, Nestle Confections & Snacks, (818) 549-5817
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