Shark Bytes

I actually found "Gathering Crowds" as a ******** through ******* Wireless's "Get It Now" feature and downloaded it. My wife thinks I'm a bit goofy since I got a bit misty-eyed the first time I played it for her, but she just doesn't understand.

Pete Rose sliding headfirst, Dave Parker throwing out Brian Downing at the plate, Fisk waving his home run to stay fair, all set to that song. It was about as close to perfection as you're going to get!

Love the Mike Caldwell post from Apr 20, 2008...that wouldn't be the former pitcher for the Brewers, would it?

I also think that it jumped with the death of the great Mel Allen. But, man, what a great run it had...just wonderful to think about the great montage of highlights at the end. How about that!

Hello,
check out under Gathering Crowds in Youtube. There is a 40 second version of the TWIB closing. But you are right, the whole version would be great to see once again. Brings back some memories.....

The late 1970s/early 1980s closing montage of that slow motion footage of various players (like Pete Rose diving into 3rd base), poised against that beautiful theme, wow. The closing song is called "Gathering Crowds". TWIB was never the same after they changed their closing. I'd give anything to have a sample of the closing ***** montage from, say 1980.

Bring the show back and make Ernie Harwell the narrator. This was my favorite weekend show when it was on. It came on on Saturday in the middle of the day where I lived.

There's a download of the closing theme available in Real Player format (.ra)
It doesn't sound great, but it's definitely the music. The cue is longer than what's actually used on the show (the middle section is unfamiliar) but they seem to use the last minute on TWIB as far as I can remember, down to the familiar final notes for the MLB logo at the close.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Week_in_Baseball

Go to the bottom for a listing of External Links and click on and it will download directly to your computer:

80sTVthemes.com - This Week in Baseball

When Mel Allen died, so did the show. The classic theme music is the best ever. Dave Winfield's catch where he jumped 3 rows into the left field stands to rob a home run is the best catch of all time, tied with "The Catch" by Willie Mays. Rick Dempsey's one-man show, Dave Parker's throw to Gary Carter to throw out the player at home plate during the all-star game and Carlton Fisk's classic home run during the 1975 World Series are just a few of the highlights from the show that come to mind. I think we all miss Mel, but I'm embarrased to say, I didn't know he was dead until I read this. Now that I know, no wonder he was replaced with that joke for an announcer. Mel, I will always remember you.

i WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHERE I CAN FIND THE MUSIC THEME SO THAT I CAN DOWNLOAD IT TO MY COMPUTER. THAT SONG IS A MOTIVATOR IF I HAVE EVER HEARD A SONG.

Loved the closing theme and classic slow-mo footage of the most current stars doing their thing. The first (and best) I remember must have been from the late 70s during it's early run. Fred Lynn was seen circling the bases in a very humble but inspiring home run trot. With bowed head he exemplified much of what was still right with baseball despite it being the dawn of the free agent era. I know they updated the montage every season or so, and I never saw anything quite as effective as that initial footage. Anyone know anywhere or anyway this can be seen other than ESPN Classic?

Just the sound of that theme music gives me goosebumps up my neck -- takes me back to my childhood in the 80's, sitting on the living room floor at my grandparents house -- my saturday morning routine for many years -- I sat and watched the new show with my son, whose 2, and it really got to me when I heard the closing theme -- man when did i get so emotional?? must be the over 30 thing.

As a Bostonian and Red Sox fan, I have to admit, I loved Mel Allen (sorry). He made the show. But, as time went on, cable carried most every game, anyways and baseball became more and more of a business, not a game. The show didn't jump, the sport did.

When they started being 100% biased towards the Red Sox...including showing that ***** of Red Sox fans chanting "Yankees suck!" I thought it was a kids show?!

It's understandable to think that TWIB jumped the shark when Mel Allen died but if you ask me, the jump really occured when the strike cancelled the 1994 World Series.

There will never be another Mel Allen.

Once I was reading a story by a writer who covered Mickey Mantle for 24 hours straight (with all the crazy fans following the team), and remarked about what it was like to hear Mel Allen in the next room, without being able to turn the sound down.

The man was baseball personified, and the show was awesome in an era before ESPN fed you everything instantly.

I Think TWIB jumped when Mel Allen Passed away it wasnt the same And that god awful Claymation of Mel Man give me a break that thing used to scare me.