At 89, Fred Costello plays the organ on opening day in Rochester just like he has since 1977
Fred Costello could swing a bat about as well as he could perform a melody as a kid growing up in Syracuse, New York. He wanted to play at ballparks, and figured the best way to reach that dream was through slick fielding and a sweet swing. At 89, Fred Costello plays the organ on opening day in Rochester just like he has since 1977 “I thought I was going to be the next Mickey Mantle,” he said. The idea of blossoming into the next great Yankees slugger hit a sour note for Costello. His baseball career ended after a few years in semi-pro ball but that goal of getting to play in a ballpark night in, night out for decades and beyond, well that lived on — only as the person widely believed to now serve as the longest-reigning sports organist in history, playing since 1977 for a minor league baseball team in Rochester. Before the Rochester Red Wings settled in for Tuesday’s home opener, Costello got comfortable behind his Yamaha and Korg keyboards …




