Atlanta Braves fans are familiar with the names Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies, and Chris Sale. These are among the many All-Star players we cheer for at Truist Park 81 games a year.
All of those guys get plenty of media coverage, becoming household names among baseball fans. But there are so many people off the field who deserve our praise as well.
From the parking lot attendants, to the food workers, ushers, security officers and more. I can’t leave out the video, radio, and social media crew, the in-game entertainment staff, world-class TV broadcaster Brandon Gaudin, and opera singer Timothy Miller, who delivers perfect renditions of “God Bless America” at Sunday home games.
One of the Braves’ unsung heroes is a soft-spoken musical genius named Matthew Kaminsky. Since 2008, the organist has observed every home game from his perch in the press box, earning wide acclaim as the best in the business.
Kaminsky could take the easy way out, limiting his repertoire to the usual clap-along standards. Instead, he is truly engaged in the game, and communicates regularly via social media with his massive fan base.
During pre-game warm-ups, he sits at his Hammond organ, and provides background music for early-arriving fans. Better yet, it’s a different set list each day. If it’s unusually warm or chilly, Kaminsky will play weather-themed songs like “Heat Wave” or “Cold As Ice.” Even a lengthy rain delay goes down easier when he plays “Singing in the Rain,” “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head,” and “Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling.”
If an artist of great fame has recently passed away, like Brian Wilson, fans will hear Kaminsky’s favorite Beach Boys tunes played as a tribute.
If the opposing team is the Mets, you can expect “New York, New York,” just as you can expect songs about Chicago and Los Angeles when the Cubs or Dodgers are in town.
Kaminsky’s main claim to fame is finding clever walk-up songs for each player from the visiting team. For well-liked former Braves like Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson, he’ll greet them with the 1976 John Sebastian hit, “Welcome Back.” Whether a player’s name is common or distinctive, Kaminsky’s “play it by ear” encyclopedic mind is filled with a world of possibilities.
Ian Happ of the Cubs will be serenaded with a multitude of happy-titled songs. Former Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart was greeted with “Old McDonald.” (The old farmer had a barn, get it?) When Kevin Newman played for the Pirates, Kaminsky played the “Seinfeld” theme song. After all, Seinfeld’s nemesis “Newman” forever etched the name into TV history.
I first met Kaminsky after a 19-inning, 7-hour marathon game in 2011. The game ended in the wee hours of the morning, and my family had been trying to guess Kaminsky’s walk-up songs. This was a welcome distraction as the game dragged on. As we were exiting the game, we encountered Kaminsky, who couldn’t have been any nicer, even after a long night at the “office.”
A few months later, I saw him perform at an Oktoberfest event at Rock City in Chattanooga. I learned he is also an expert accordionist, as he kept people dancing to the polka.
Recently, Kaminsky got national attention for a viral moment in which he played a small, but important role. At the height of World Cup soccer fever, he had noticed that fans worldwide had adopted John Denver’s “Take Me Home Country Roads” as a sing-along anthem. During a Braves game, Kaminsky casually played a few notes from the song as Matt Olson stepped up to the plate. Even after Kaminsky stopped playing, Braves fans kept on singing. Seconds later, Olson sent a home run into the right field seats. This sequence of events has been viewed by tens of millions.
On social media, Kaminsky posted, “Sometimes something purely coincidental turns into something beautiful and magical. Playing “Country Roads” with the fans joining in and continuing to sing, all while Matt Olson hit a home run was one of those magical moments. I’ll remember it forever.”
Matthew Kaminsky is humbled when fans tell him how much they enjoy his talent, and his sense of humor. He is truly a most valuable player.
