Ernest Lawrence Thayer

Casey, a baseball hero in Mudville, is revered for his game-winning abilities but struggles with personal relationships, except for his love for his niece and a few children. When his niece gets injured, he's distracted during a crucial game, causing him to lose, and after being shunned by the town, he leaves his lifelong home.

In his career, De Wolf Hopper recited Ernest Lawrence Thayer's "Casey at the Bat" thousands of times. Here, wearing a tuxedo, he emerges from behind a curtain as if at a theater, gives a short introduction, and launches into the poem. The camera is stationary, and although Hopper stands in one place, his hands and arms, his face, and his voice are animated throughout. In delivery, it's a minstrel performance.

Casey, a baseball hero in Mudville, is revered for his game-winning abilities but struggles with personal relationships, except for his love for his niece and a few children. When his niece gets injured, he's distracted during a crucial game, causing him to lose, and after being shunned by the town, he leaves his lifelong home.

In his career, De Wolf Hopper recited Ernest Lawrence Thayer's "Casey at the Bat" thousands of times. Here, wearing a tuxedo, he emerges from behind a curtain as if at a theater, gives a short introduction, and launches into the poem. The camera is stationary, and although Hopper stands in one place, his hands and arms, his face, and his voice are animated throughout. In delivery, it's a minstrel performance.