It’s going to be very strange to hear, instead of the crack of the bat, a shrill PING! at Comerica Park on Wednesday. But when the Tigers are away, the Chippewas and Spartans will play. Yep, the first-ever college game at Comerica is just hours away. Tickets just $8!
For Central Michigan and Michigan State fans, it’s a chance not only to see college baseball in an MLB setting, but also to reach back for some sweet 1980s nostalgia. CMU senior infielder Brendan Emmett will be playing in the game, and his dad, Rik Emmett, will sing the National Anthem.
The elder Emmett isn’t just any ordinary musician. Along with Gil Moore and Mike Levine, Rik formed the Canadian heavy metal band “Triumph” in 1975. Triumph gained fame in the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, and have had eight albums certified at least gold.
Rik decided to leave Triumph and go solo in 1988, the same year his wife Jeannette gave birth to Brendan, their fourth child. The Emmett’s three other children are 28-year-old Shannon and 25-year-old twins Casey and Ashley.
Brendan, who ended up playing trumpet, left music to pursue his baseball career.
In high school, he had to choose between sports and music, Rik said.
But, their two careers have never been more intertwined than this season. The elder Emmett’s music can be heard during home baseball games this season since he created a few tracks for Brendan’s walk-up music for his final season. The gesture, however, was neither Brendan’s nor Rik’s idea.
“Actually, that was (junior infielder) Nate Theunissen ’s idea,” Brendan said. “I was already thinking I was going to have some Triumph songs for my last year, but Nate said I should get my dad to write some new ones.”
So how many players in the history of Comerica Park have had walk-up music composed and sung by their dad? I’m guessing by tomorrow, just one.
***
Clash at Comerica a Chance for Father, Son to Show Talents [Chippewas.com]
