Nancy Faust
Nancy Faust (born in 1947) grew up in a musical household. Her mother performed the piano and organ on radio shows, banquets and receptions. Faust followed in her mother’s footsteps and one day played at a luncheon attended by White Sox management. The general manager was so impressed that he offered the North Sider a job on the South Side to play the organ for the 1970 White Sox season.
Faust was expected to play some pre-game music, the national anthem and “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” Slowly but surely Faust’s game repertoire expanded as she played pop songs for each of the Sox players as they stepped up to the plate. If a manager walked toward the mound to have a talk with a pitcher in trouble, Faust accompanied with the 2-note Jaws theme. When a streaker ran across the outfield one day, she let loose with “Is That All There Is.” But her biggest hit was “Na Na Na Na Hey Hey Goodbye.” Faust thought it would be a good song to play when a visiting pitcher was pulled from the game. The Sox fans took to that song like fish to water and the White Sox tradition soon spread to other ball parks.
Faust’s initial one year contract was extended for forty more seasons. She capped off her final game with the Madonna song “This Used to Be My Playground.”
Why this stop? The Blue Line Montrose stop is a mile west of Theodore Roosevelt High School which Nancy attended.
Watch Faust in action at the keyboard and learn about her years with the White Sox.
FUN FACT—Nancy Faust’s license plate is NA NA NA.