IT’S IN THE BEER

Years ago when the New York City area had three teams playing, the New York Yankees, The New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers, it seemed that everything had a comparison. For instance in centerfield, the Yanks had Mantle, the Giants Mays and the Dodgers Snider.

If you looked at first, it was Skowron for the Yanks, Lockman for the Jints and Hodges for the Bums. Short had just two, Rizzuto for the Yanks and Reese for the Dodgers, and even catching had Berra for the Yankees and Campanella for the Dodgers. The stadiums were all unique in layout, as were the fans in comportment.

Then there were the sponsorships.

The Yankees had Ballantine Beer,

“Hey, get your cold beer,

hey, get your Ballantine,

Hey get your cold, cold beer,

Get your ice cold Ballantine beer.”

The camera would then switch to Mel Allen on a hot afternoon, as he poured the glass, making sure to create a perfect head, and you knowing he was dying to drink it in its cold glass, but couldn’t.

The Giants had Rheingold Beer.

“My beer is Rheingold the dry beer

think of Rheingold whenever you buy beer,

Its not bitter not sweet the extra dry treat

Won’t you try extra dry Rheingold beer?”

The Giants sponsor had the best commercials too for their beer when they changed sponsorships, with the star being Mr. Knick R, Bocker for Knickerbocker beer, the New York Beer of the day.

The Dodgers had a local brewery in Brooklyn for their sponsor, Schaefer Beer.

“Schaefer is the one beer to have

when you’re having more than one,

“Schaefer is the one beer to have

when you’re having more than one.

The most rewarding flavor in this man’s world

For people who are having fun!

Schaefer is the one beer to have

when you’re having more than one”

This also held true for cigarettes as the Yankees sold Winstons, the Dodgers Lucky Strikes and the Giants Chesterfields.

That’s all I wrote, folks!