American Songbook Blogs

January 5, 1879: American songwriter, singer and vaudeville performer Jack Norworth was born on this date in 1879. Norworth is credited as co-writer of a number of Tin Pan Alley hits. He wrote the lyrics to “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” (music by Albert Von Tilzer) in 1908, his most long lasting hit. It wasn’t until 1940 that he witnessed a Major League Baseball game. His “Shine On, Harvest Moon” was a bigger hit at the time.