Yankees Closer · 1967–1982

Sparky Lyle Entrance Song

What was Sparky Lyle's entrance song?

Sparky Lyle's entrance song was "Pomp and Circumstance" by Edward Elgar with the New York Yankees during his 1967–1982 career. Sparky Lyle is credited as the first reliever with a signature entrance: starting around 1972, Yankee Stadium played Elgar's “Pomp and Circumstance” as he rode in from the bullpen — the song that launched the whole closer-entrance tradition.

Yankee Stadium walkup music is anchored by hip hop, classic rock, and Bob Sheppard's posthumous announcements — most famously Derek Jeter's, which played for years after Sheppard's death. For more on the Yankees' walkup tradition and current roster picks, see the New York Yankees walkup page.

Set up a Lyle-style walkup for your team

Want a kid on your team to come to the plate (or jog in from the bullpen) like Lyle? It takes about a minute in Walkup Pro:

1. Add the player to your roster
2. Search "Pomp and Circumstance" by Edward Elgar and assign it
3. Set a custom trim so the best 15–20 seconds plays — for "Pomp and Circumstance" that's usually the hook, not the intro
4. Connect a Bluetooth speaker at the field and tap to play on game day

For more, see the greatest closer entrance songs in baseball and the anatomy of the perfect walkup song.

More walkup & entrance legends

• Mariano Rivera — "Enter Sandman" by Metallica
• Trevor Hoffman — "Hells Bells" by AC/DC
• Jonathan Papelbon — "I'm Shipping Up to Boston" by Dropkick Murphys
• Eric Gagné — "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses
• Billy Wagner — "Enter Sandman" by Metallica
• John Smoltz — "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC
• Randy Johnson — "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns N' Roses
• Dennis Eckersley — "Bad to the Bone" by George Thorogood