Dodgers Longtime Organist Passes Away at 89

The Los Angeles Dodgers household mourns the lack of longtime Dodger Stadium organist Nancy Bea Hefley, who handed away in response to a submit on Fb by her son. She was 89 years outdated.

For nearly 30 years, followers at Dodger Stadium have been serenaded by Hefley’s keys as she was the crew’s stay organist from 1988 till her October 2015 retirement.

There are usually not many stay organists in baseball — not to mention the world {of professional} sports activities — however Hefley was a real trailblazer in her craft. 

The San Pedro native’s witty and well timed tunes performed all through the stadium allowed her humor and character to shine via the audio system for nearly three many years at Chavez Ravine. 

One in every of her defining moments throughout her ‘rookie’ season in 1988 was when she would play the tune “Grasp of the Home” from the musical Les Misérables every time identified musical theater fan Orel Hershiser would take the mound. 

Maybe that helped him safe a Cy Younger award that season because the Dodgers went on to win the World Collection as nicely.

Though not initially a baseball fan, she got here to be the organist of the Dodgers via her husband’s lifelong affinity to the franchise, plus her pal and former Dodgers pitcher named Tommy John.

“At first I didn’t assume I’d wish to sit at a baseball sport each night time,” Bea stated to the American Federation of Musicians’ Linda A. Rapka. “I didn’t realize it was going to be a lot enjoyable.”

When the Dodgers’ earlier organist, Helen Dell, was retiring, her husband let her know concerning the job opening. 

“I’ve been right here ever since,” she stated on the time. “They haven’t been capable of eliminate me!”

Dodger Stadium wasn’t the one place that Hefley has carried out. 

For over 55 years, she performed the organ at Bellflower Baptist Church. That is the place she met her husband, Invoice, who would later go on to be one of many building staff who helped construct Dodger Stadium in 1962. 

Earlier than her work on the Dodgers, Hefley was a substitute organist for the Los Angeles Angels. On Valentine’s Day 1988, she auditioned for the Boys in Blue throughout an exhibition sport between the Dodgers and the College of Southern California. 

Hefley handed the torch to Dieter Ruehle, the present organist for the Dodgers, who began to fill in for her in 2013 earlier than taking up full-time after her retirement. 

Dodgers Nation needs condolences the Hefley household.

Photograph Credit score: Kirby Lee/Picture of Sport-USA TODAY Sports activities

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