OK Blue Jays
Pop fight song played during Blue Jays seventh-inning stretch.
"OK Blue Jays" is a pop baseball fight song that plays during the seventh-inning stretch at Toronto Blue Jays home games. Released in 1983, it references the team's 1980s roster and events, and is heard after the horn sounds at Rogers Centre. The song reached number 47 on RPM's singles chart and was certified gold by 1986, having sold over 50,000 copies.
The song was conceived by Alan Smith, Creative Director at JWT Direct, who wrote most of the lyrics with copywriter Pat Arbour. The first verse was written entirely by Tony Kosinec of the Lenz/Kosinec jingle house, hired to compose the music and produce the track under Smith and Arbour's direction. Blue Jays executive Paul Beeston approved the project; Jack Lenz recalled that Beeston "wanted the song to be fun, but not to promise too much because the team was OK." Music was written by Jack Lenz and Tony Kosinec, performed by Keith Hampshire and "The Bat Boys." The original version ran about two and a half minutes, but the seventh-inning stretch version is 58 seconds long. During its play, the Blue Jays JForce cheerleaders lead fans in clapping and fist-pumping; when first introduced in 1983, a group from Fitness Ontario led calisthenics.
The song names eight teams: Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians (now Guardians), Detroit Tigers, and the (then-Oakland) Athletics. The original version mentioned the Milwaukee Brewers instead of the Los Angeles Angels. Two individuals are mentioned by given name: Dave Stieb (the lyrics originally said something, later changed to "Jays throw down a smoker") and "Billy," referring to Billy Martin, who managed the Oakland Athletics in 1982 and had his third stint as New York Yankees manager in 1983. The refrain is [as given in source]. The song ends with the sound of Willie Upshaw's bat striking a pitched baseball.
The single was released in May 1983 on the Kosinec/Lenz label, with A&M picking up distribution the following year. In a 1986 pre-game ceremony, manager Jimy Williams accepted a gold record from a recording industry representative before a game against the Milwaukee Brewers. The song was remixed by Rob Wells and Chris Anderson in 2003.
Quick Facts
- Artist
- Keith Hampshire and "The Bat Boys"
- Studio
- Eastern Sound
- Genre
- Pop, Fight song
- Composer
- Jack Lenz and Tony Kosinec
- Lyricist
- Alan Smith, Pat Arbour
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The song was conceptualized by Alan Smith, Creative Director at JWT Direct, who wrote most of the lyrics with copywriter Pat Arbour. The first verse was written entirely by Tony Kosinec of the Lenz/Kosinec jingle house, hired to write the music and produce the song under Smith and Arbour's direction. The project was approved by Blue Jays executive Paul Beeston, who wanted the song to be fun but not to promise too much because the team was "OK".
The original version was about two and a half minutes long, but the version played during the seventh-inning stretch is 58 seconds. During its play, the Blue Jays JForce cheerleaders lead fans in simple stretching activities. When first introduced in 1983, a group from Fitness Ontario would lead fans in calisthenics exercises. The song refers to eight teams: Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Angels, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians (now Guardians), Detroit Tigers, and the (then-Oakland) Athletics. The original version referred to the Milwaukee Brewers instead of the Los Angeles Angels.
Two individuals are mentioned by given name: Dave Stieb (the lyrics were later changed to "Jays throw down a smoker") and "Billy", referring to Billy Martin, who had been manager of the Oakland Athletics in 1982 and had his third stint as manager of the New York Yankees in 1983. The song ends with the sound of a bat swung by Willie Upshaw striking a pitched baseball.
Reader's Guide
"OK Blue Jays" holds significance as a lasting cultural artifact of 1980s baseball fandom in Canada, blending pop music with team spirit during the seventh-inning stretch. Its gold certification and chart placement reflect its commercial success, while its continued use at Rogers Centre demonstrates enduring popularity. The song's references to specific players and rival teams from the 1980s anchor it in a particular era of Blue Jays history. The involvement of a jingle house and advertising creative directors highlights the intersection of marketing and sports entertainment. The 2003 remix by Rob Wells and Chris Anderson shows the song's adaptability. Its legacy lies in its role as a unifying, nostalgic anthem for fans, distinct from traditional baseball organ music.
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