John Fogerty's 'Centerfield' Honored by Baseball Hall of Fame

Just as a batter knows when he connects with a ball if he's hit it out of the park, John Fogerty knew 'Centerfield' was a home run when he wrote it.

"I remember right when I came up with the [opening] lick," the former Creedence Clearwater Revival frontman tells Spinner. "For a writer or musician, those are those wonderful moments of clarity when you are at once the creator and consumer or listener. You realize, 'Wow, that's going to be really good. Oh yeah.'"

Oh yeah, indeed. Twenty-five years later, 'Centerfield' is a classic, played at every baseball field -- from Little League to the major leagues -- all season long. And now, like other legendary baseball figures, it will become a Hall of Famer -- or as close as a song can get -- when Fogerty is feted at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum's induction ceremonies on July 25. He won't get a plaque in the Cooperstown, N.Y. hall, but this marks the first time a song or musician has been honored as part of the annual induction ceremonies, according to his reps. He will also play 'Centerfield' just before the class of 2010 takes the stage.

Even though he knew he had a hit on his hands, Fogerty says "it's fascinating to me what has happened with this song over time. Sometimes I feel really that it's some other guy's song. It's odd. I mean, when the stadium wants a rally and they do the claps at the beginning of the song to try to inspire the batter ... "

Additionally, a 25th anniversary edition of 'Centerfield' comes out June 29 with two bonus tracks, covers of 'My Toot Toot' and 'Confess.' As always, Fogerty is ready to play.