A local mariachi band at auditions to sing the National Anthem at a Hooks game last season. Tryouts for 2016 are from 9 to 11 a.m. at Whataburger Field, Saturday, March 19. Courtesy photo
“Oh, say can you see,” yourself under the lights of Whataburger Field singing the National Anthem? Then you need to be at the field at 734 E Port Ave. by 9 a.m. Saturday, March 19, to audition for a chance to be an integral part of America’s game.
The Hooks are a AA affiliate of the Houston Astros. Opening game of the 2016 season will be played at 7:05 p.m. April 7 against the Tulsa Drillers. At 7 p.m. sharp, the Rockport-Fulton High School Choir will set up somewhere near home plate to kick things off with “the rockets’ red glare.” Opening night is Rockport/Fulton night, and being a Friday, that red glare will come to fruition at the end of the game with a fireworks display.
Aspiring and established singers and musicians of all ages are welcome to the tryouts. J.D. Davis and a group of office staffers will spend two hours Saturday morning rating each of the performances according to the quality of the voice, the performer's sense of confidence and knowledge of the lyrics.
“We don’t want someone to be put in a situation in front of a few thousand people and have a problem with the words,” Davis said. “I’ve seen it happen.”
The whole process of scheduling the chosen performers takes about six weeks amidst a flurry of emails to find the right dates to fit everyone’s schedule. The work is worth the effort, says Davis, because of the connection of the song to the sport.
“Baseball is interwoven into our history more than any other sport,” Davis said. “It’s a family game, something you come together as a community to enjoy. It’s a good reminder of what we are lucky to have here in our country.”
The Hooks don’t take that sense of community for granted either, Davis said.
“We are lucky to have a community such as we have here in Corpus Christi,” he continued. “It’s a small little piece of what makes this country so great.”
Performers should come prepared to sing or play the full anthem — without a backing track. Enter through the ballpark’s main gate and sign up. Auditions will be done on a first come, first serve basis for two hours only. No advance scheduling is available.
They will be provided a microphone and a chance to sing the anthem within a 2-minute, 15-second time frame from the field, with speakers on so everyone can hear how they will sound. Instrumentalists can bring and perform with their instruments of choice, but no CDs or tapes will be allowed.
”Our annual National Anthem auditions signal that baseball season is just around the corner, so this is an exciting time for us," said Davis. “It's great to see so much of the incredible talent the Coastal Bend has to offer in one setting."
Singers and performers, from "sea to shining sea."
