Tiller has near perfect game at Wrigley Field

Exponent File Photo COACH'S CHORUS: Purdue coach Joe Tiller looks on as his Boilermakers play against Washington in the Rose Bowl. Tiller's success has made him a nationally recognizable figure as demonstrated by Sunday afternoon's guest singing at Wrigley Field.

By Keith Thomas
Editor in Chief

Purdue coach Joe Tiller won't be quitting his day job anytime soon to take up singing.

On Sunday afternoon Tiller sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at Chicago's Wrigley Field during the seventh inning stretch of the Cubs-Brewers game.

After a brief introduction by Cubs broadcaster Chip Caray, Tiller took the microphone and got the crowd fired up.

When the energetic Tiller got near the end of the song; however, his enthusiasm almost cost him a penalty. After Tiller sang "root, root, root for the first-place Cubbies" he stumbled with the lyrics of the following line a bit.

"He covered it up well," said Boilermaker kicker Travis Dorsch, who was watching the performance as it was being televised locally on Fox Sports Chicago.

Dorsch, who admittedly had to be careful when offering his critique, said he thought Tiller did just fine.

"I was impressed. He got up and sang in front of thousands of fans," said Dorsch. "It was better than I thought it would be."

Tiller can only hope other members of his team are as loyal as Dorsch when offering critiques of Tiller's rendition.

Following the top of the seventh, Tiller joined Caray, whose grandfather, Harry, made the song famous years ago, in the booth for some sports talk. Tiller answered questions for the remainder of the seventh inning and he was prepared.

"It's only been 34 years," joked Tiller, sporting a Purdue Rose Bowl hat.

Caray said he and others associated with the Cubs knew a thing or two about championship droughts.

Tiller talked about football, and even a little baseball.

"I think, having talked to coach Tiller up in his office about baseball several times, he is knowledgeable, not just about baseball, but about all sports," said Dorsch, who, as a former member of the Purdue baseball team, knows a thing or two about the national pastime.

Tiller got to talk a little football too, answering questions about last year's Rose Bowl Boilermaker team and his thoughts about the season ahead.

"He got asked some hard questions," said Dorsch, a former pitcher and first baseman. "I think he had some very diplomatic answers."

Dorsch gave Tiller a B+ for the grade of the day.

"It would have been an A if he didn't mess up that one line," joked Dorsch.

The Cubs lost 6-3 to the Brewers in front of 38,501 Chicago fans.

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