Bob Dylan on Catfish Hunter

So far this season my beloved Houston Astros are playing baseball about as well as I play guitar. And with that artless introduction and tenuous connection, I'll go straight to the list of baseball-inspired songs compiled by the Gibson people.

• "Glory Days," Bruce Springsteen: The star high school pitcher turns into a working stiff.
  

• "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," The Hold Steady: The band's lead singer revamped the song at the behest of the Twins, his favorite team.
  

• "Catfish," Bob Dylan: Bob Dylan wrote a song about Catfish Hunter. I'm not sure why.
  

• "(Love Is Like a) Baseball Game," The Intruders: A Gamble & Huff piece with lyrics like "I ain't never won when I played a baseball game/Now it seems that love and baseball are just the same."
  

• "Beat on the Brat," The Ramones: No real baseball connection other than the line "Beat on the brat with a baseball bat."
  

• "Tessie," The Dropkick Murphys: The band says this song helped the Red Sox break the Curse of the Bambino in 2004.
  

• "A Dying Cubs Fan's Last Request," Steve Goodman: Just like the guy in the song had requested, some of Goodman's ashes were scattered at the Cubs' "ivy-covered burial ground."
  

• "Piazza, New York Catcher," Belle & Sebastian: A love song that also includes an allusion to Sandy Koufax.
  

• "Night Game," Paul Simon: No mention of Joe DiMaggio in this one but it's about a pitcher who dies on the field.
  

• "Centerfield," John Fogerty: By law, now must be played at every baseball game.