At the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, the stadium’s organist has become an online sensation for his witty song choices.
John Benedeck will play just about any tune at Charles Schwab Field – from “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” by Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer to “Tequila” by The Champs.
His creative takes on traditional ballpark music caught the attention of baseball lovers everywhere, garnering over 390,000 followers and 8.5 million likes on TikTok.
At this year’s College World Series, fans can make song requests for Benedeck to play during games using his hashtag on social media.
Besides playing in Omaha every year for the tournament, he’s the resident organist for the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
“I grew up a huge Cubs fan, so now I get to be a cheerleader with the keys and enjoy a lot of baseball,” Benedeck said.
As a born and raised fan, Benedeck had passion for the game, but not the music.
“My mom signed me up for piano lessons when I was six, and at first, I hated it,” Benedeck said.
Later, he heard another student playing “Canon in D” by Johann Pachelbel and instantly fell in love with the song. When Benedeck told his teacher he wanted to learn it, she said he wasn’t ready.
That quickly motivated him to prove her wrong.
“Over a few months, I learned the song and picked up on my playing-by-ear skills,” Benedeck said. “That’s where I started and have been ever since.”
The skilled pianist went to school for broadcasting and became a freelance podcast producer after he graduated.
One podcast he worked on was for a Cubs superfan who collected all kinds of team memorabilia. This included the stadium’s old organ from the ‘90s, which Benedeck would then play at events.
“Someone caught me on tape and put my hat in the ring, and the Cubs ended up reaching out,” Benedeck said. “They put me through a rigorous audition, and I eventually got the offer.”
Live organists are less popular among today’s ballparks, with only nine MLB teams having full-time organists on staff.
Once he was welcomed onto the team, Benedeck was convinced to create a TikTok account and share his unique job with the world. He eventually gained a following that only grew from then on.
“It has allowed me to connect with people all over the world who wouldn’t ordinarily be interested in baseball or sports at all,” Benedeck said. “It’s been quite a journey.”
In town for the championship series? Send in a song for Benedeck and hear it played on college baseball’s biggest stage.
