12 Facts About Eddie Layton

Edward M Layton was an American stadium organist who played at old Yankee Stadium for nearly 40 years, earning him membership in the New York Sports Hall of Fame.

Eddie Layton graduated from West Chester State Teachers College, now West Chester University, where he majored in meteorology with a minor in music.

Eddie Layton began playing the organ when he was 12 years old.

Eddie Layton went on to play the organ for the Yankees for over three decades, taking a break from 1971 to 1977 to pursue other musical commitments.

Current New York Yankees organists Ed Alstrom and Paul Cartier were recruited by Eddie Layton to take his place at Yankee Stadium.

Eddie Layton played for several seasons of New York Islanders games in the 1990s and served one stint as organist for the indoor New York Cosmos soccer team at Madison Square Garden.

Eddie Layton performed concerts in more than 200 cities for the Hammond Organ Company and released 27 albums.

Eddie Layton owned a huge collection of model trains he maintained at his Forest Hills, New York home.

Eddie Layton loved demonstrating organs to the public, and giving organ lessons.

On December 26,2004, Eddie Layton died of natural causes at his home in Forest Hills, New York, at age 79, following a brief illness.

Eddie Layton was buried at Mount Hebron Cemetery in Queens, New York City, with his feet pointed away from Shea Stadium.

Eddie Layton claimed credit as the first to come up with the idea of playing charge calls at a baseball game in 1971.