RationaL's "A Swing and a Belt" Lyrics Explained

Lyric

Annotation

I was 8 years old, my birthday present

A baseball glove and my first Jays fitted

His first baseball glove was a blue Juan Guzman Rawlings glove. "Fitted" refers to a "fitted" baseball cap, the type that players and coaches wear.

I felt like Robbie, my fingers to the sky

Roberto Alomar celebrated by putting his fingers in the air after he hit a key game-tying homer off of Dennis Eckersley in game 4 of the 1992 ALCS.

I can still hear the call: "a swing and there's a drive!"

Tom Cheek’s call of the home run, which has been called the "most important home run in Blue Jays history."

Big league dreams for a kid to cherish

One team, one color, brought a country together

I'll never forget it, "Winfield wants noise!"

Dave Winfield commented on how quiet the fans were at the SkyDome and asked them to cheer the team on. Fans started to bring in signs that read "Winfield Wants Noise"

Who knew feeling 'blue' could bring so much joy?

blue, adj.: 1) of the colour blue, 2) low in spirits, melancholy.

Devo on patrol looking like Willie Mays

Devon "Devo" Whyte (he recently changed the spelling of his last name) played centre field like Willie Mays. In game 3 of the 1992 World Series, he made a sensational catch, crashing into the padded wall.

Bob Davidson blew it, we all knew it’s a triple play

Bob Davidson was the second-base umpire during game 3 of the 1992 World Series when he missed Kelly Gruber tagging out Deion Sanders in what should’ve been a triple play, started by Whyte with his sensational catch.

Guzman the jheri curl, Gruber the mullet

Juan Guzman was famous for his Jheri curl and Kelly Gruber for his mullet.

Bring ‘The Terminator’ in and soon we knew it was over

The closer for the 1992 Blue Jays was Tom Henke, who was nicknamed "The Terminator".

The flashbacks, memories, they making me smile

Tom Cheek painting pictures through your radio dial…

A "dial" was used to select the appropriate radio frequency on a receiver before digital controls were popular.

There's a bunted ball, Timlin grabs it, flips it...

The Blue Jays won the 1992 World Series in game 6 when Otis Nixon bunted to pitcher Mike Timlin, who then tossed it to first baseman Joe Carter to get the out.

The Blue Jays win it! THE BLUE JAYS WIN IT!

The start of '93, echoed through all of Canada

Put the banner up: defending World Series Champions

Fantasy roster, seven All-Stars

Seven Blue Jays were named as American League All-Stars in 1993: Roberto Alomar, Joe Carter, Pat Hentgen, Jimmy Key, Paul Molitor, John Olerud, and Duane Ward.

I swear this team was sent from the heavens above

Second to none, Dad and I, we watched it all

Those bats on fire like a Beeston cigar

Paul Beeston enjoys smoking cigars.

W.A.M.C.O., that acronym everyone ought-a-know

W.A.M.C.O.was the acronym for the Blue Jays’ lineup for the beginning of the season, standing for Whyte, Alomar, Molitor, Carter, Olerud.

White, Alomar, Molitor, Carter and Johnny O

.400 flirting, hotter than a smoked-out soufflé

John Olerud was hitting above .400 until August 2.

Even Americans singing, "OK, Blue Jays!"

"OK, Blue Jays!" is the Blue Jays’ team song, and is played before "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the seventh-inning stretch.

Who could forget about Tony and Rickey?

Tony Fernandez was acquired midseason for Darrin Jackson, and Rickey Henderson was acquired for Steve Karsay and Jose Herrera.

Cito had the team buzzing through the whole dang city

Stand on Mr. Gillick, he never was standing Pat

Before he pulled the 1990 trade that brought Joe Carter and Robbie Alomar to Toronto, he was known around the league to be reluctant to make major moves.

Borders framing border-line pitches behind the mask

World Series-era catcher Pat Borders was known to be a good defensive catcher.

Remember, while those two trophies sit on the shelf

Referring to the two Commissioner’s Trophies that are sitting in a display case in the Rogers Centre.

Rest In Peace Tom Cheek, "A Swing and a Belt!"

The dawn of a brand new day

At the home of #1 Blue Jays Way

The address of the Rogers Centre.

I Love This Team, keep believing til our dreams come true

"#LoveThisTeam" is the official slogan and hashtag of the 2013 Blue Jays

30-million-plus strong and we bleed blood blue

The population of Canada is 33.5 million.

We stuck thru it and we still holding on

Blue Jays fans have stuck by a mediocre team for the past 20 years, having not seen the Blue Jays play a playoff game since 1993.

The memories sustain us even though you're gone

28 years with a mic in his hand

Tom Cheek was the Blue Jays’ broadcaster from 1977-2004.

1430 and 590 The Fan

The Toronto sports radio station that broadcasts the Blue Jays’ games is Sportsnet Radio 590 the FAN. The FAN radio station was at the 1430 am frequency until 1995.

The times that we had, he spoke and brought 'em to life

SkyDome, 50,000, every single night

From the time the SkyDome (now Rogers Centre) opened until 1998, the stadium had a capacity of 50,516 for baseball games.

Now, each spring hopes eternal, through the summer and fall

The baseball season starts with Spring Training, they play though summer, and perhaps fall if the club makes the playoffs.

Together just like Joe, we'll be "touching 'em all!"

Tom Cheek’s most famous call was on Joe Carter’s World Series-winning walk-off homer in game 6 of the 1993. Cheek told Carter to "touch ‘em all" to remind him to not miss any bases and get called out.

I can still hear the roar, what a joyous thunder

The SkyDome erupted with noise as they saw Carter’s batted ball land in the outfield seats.

Baritone in my stereo, that voice of summer

Playing in my loudspeaker

Heavens got an angel in the outfield