Alan McDaniel
One of my favorite parts of this project has been discovering that not every great baseball story belongs to a player. Sometimes it belongs to the people who quietly make the ballpark feel like home. I've always been fascinated by the little traditions fans come to expect—the songs, the voices, the moments that somehow become part of a team's identity. So when I learned the Rangers' seventh-inning stretch was being played by one of the television audio technicians, I had to know the story. Alan McDaniel reminded me that some of the most meaningful contributions to baseball happen well outside the spotlight.
You've spent more than two decades working Rangers broadcasts. How did you end up going from television audio technician to having your guitar played during the seventh-inning stretch at Globe Life Field?
Completely by accident.
It all started with a company softball game. I mentioned that I could play the national anthem on guitar. Word got around to Chuck Morgan, and eventually he asked me to perform it before a Rangers game.
Later, during the COVID season, Chuck even played my recorded national anthem in the empty stadium while the cardboard fans were sitting there. Hearing him tell me, "I can't think of anybody else's national anthem I'd rather hear than yours," meant the world to me.
Then before last season, Chuck asked me to create a guitar version of Take Me Out to the Ball Game. He said, "Make it Texas." So I leaned into Stevie Ray Vaughan and ZZ Top. They used it all season—and the Rangers won the World Series.
What goes through your mind every time you hear your version played during the seventh inning?
Honestly, it's surreal.
I've worked in that ballpark for years, and every time it comes on, the hair stands up on my arms. If I'm not working, I'll actually walk out into the seating bowl just so I can hear everyone singing along.
Watching thousands of people sing while my guitar plays... I never imagined music and sports would come together like that in my life.
What has the reaction been from your coworkers?
They're excited because they knew me as a musician long before any of this happened. Back at the old ballpark we'd bring guitars to work and jam before games. Visiting television crews started asking, "Where's the jam session?" It became part of the culture behind the scenes.
What exactly do you do during a game?
I'm the A2 audio technician. I help set up microphones, handle field effects, cover the pregame and postgame sets, and follow the on-field reporter around all game. One unexpected perk is that there are times when I can quietly practice guitar between innings.
What guitar are we hearing?
A Fender Stratocaster. For the national anthem I use effects that make it sound more like an organ or cello than a guitar. One day a couple of security guards told me my version was their second-favorite national anthem ever performed at the stadium. I asked who was first. They said Van Cliburn. I thought, "I'll take second behind Van Cliburn every day of the week."
What's a typical day at the ballpark like?
The first day of a homestand is mostly setup. After that it's making sure everything keeps working. Most fans never notice what we do. That's probably a good thing.
NOTE: The above was edited for clarity and length.
You can read the full transcript here.