They make requests and give me high fives.” ![]() I am right behind home plate and people can come up, talk to me, and offer tips. “Having it on the concourse is their idea, too,” he said about the team. “It is fun for them to meet the organist and take that back with them. Nothing but pats on the back and fans of all ages,” he says about the close proximity he has performing right on the main concourse behind the lower level seats. “The experience with the fans has been incredible. The Cannon Ballers came calling a year ago, but when COVID canceled their 2020 season, Atkins’ debut was pushed back to 2021. He’s played at each of their 40 home games since 2015, “I have always been passionate about music and gravitated toward keyboards and followed my dream,” he said.Įventually that led him to an organist job with the Charlotte Checkers, a minor league hockey team in the American Hockey League. He lived with them for months and made a living as a local musician touring and playing live gigs, along with being hired for several recording sessions. It’s very noticeable stuff.”Ī native of Greenville, S.C., Atkins moved to Charlotte, N.C., after graduating high school in 1997 and almost immediately joined a local band playing keyboards. “I even use a little backing drum machine and play along with that drum beat. “It comes from my background, being a local rock and roll keyboard player and getting plugged in,” he said about his music menu, which straddles rock, blues and even hip hop. Live organ music at baseball games dates back to 1941.īut how many of those keyboarders played Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones or tickled the ivories just a few feet from the fans and the nearest hot dog stand.Įnter Jason Atkins, also known as “GreazeyKeyz,” the live organist for the Kannapolis (N.C.) Cannon Ballers, a Low-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.Ī professional musician for nearly 25 years, Atkins, 43, joined the team as its organist this season and has been surprising fans ever since. It’s unknown if he plans to carry his bride across the threshold or just balance her. Related: Jersey Shore BlueClaws, other NJ minor league baseball teams eye federal COVID relief moneyĪlso: Jersey Shore BlueClaws live in Toms River hotel for 2021 season due to COVID-19 concernsĮngaged to a school teacher in South Carolina, Scheuer has an October wedding planned. He does a great job of adding entertainment around a game and it’s why you see him just about everywhere nowadays.” “You can see the look of joy in the stands when he grabs random items from them to balance or when he performs in between innings on the field. “Tyler brings excitement and interacts more with the audience than just about any other performer out there,” said Patrick McVerry, Patriots president and general manager. “I decided to keep balancing things on my face as my fulltime job and it has worked,” he said, noting he had dates during one stretch in August in North Carolina, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Missouri, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey during a span of 11 days. That led to a talent show at a local church and his first halftime show appearance at a Temple University basketball game years later.Īfter graduating Palm Beach Atlantic University in 2017 with a degree in physical education, Schueur pursued his odd occupation and turned it into a fulltime job. I found I could balance chairs and other things.” “I found I could do it and I started seeing what else I could balance. “I was 11 years old and bored one day at baseball practice and balanced a baseball bat on my nose,” he recalled. “One person had a prosthetic leg.”Ī Pennsylvania native, Scheuer said he discovered his strange ability as a child during little league. “I have done cups of beer on top of water bottles,” Scheuer said. ![]() Along with the hats, gloves, shoes, and water bottles, some ask him to balance ice cream cones and other snack bar favorites. “When I am not on the field I go into the crowd and offer them to challenge me to balance things.” ![]() “During baseball games I have five performances on the field usually first inning through the eighth inning,” Scheuer explained during a phone interview as he drove to Jackson Stadium in Lansing, Michigan for a Lansing Lugnuts game last week. Practice or not, the Charlotte, N.C.-based performer averages about 100 dates per year at minor league clubs, along with college basketball halftime shows and some NBA appearances.īut minor league baseball seems to be the most popular outlet for his unique act. The first time I tried it, I could do it. “I don’t have a trick, I am just born with it. If I can lift it, I can balance it,” said Scheuer, 27.
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