“The Wabash Cannon Ball“ was a fast express train line [1] on the Wabash, St. Louis, & Pacific Railroad. This express train traveled throughout the middle and western United States and also, on the Great Rock Island Route in the late 1800’s and into the early 1900’s. “The Great Rock Island Route”, also known as “Wabash Cannonball“, is the title of an American folk song which describes the scenic beauty and predicaments of the Wabash Cannonball Express as it traveled on the Great Rock Island train route. Over many years, this popular song’s music has remained unchanged, while the verses have been updated by song artists. As early as 1882, sheet music titled “The Great Rock Island Route” was credited to J. A. Roff. This version and all subsequent versions contain a variation of this chorus….Now listen to the jingle, and the rumble, and the roar…..as she dashes thro’ the woodland, and speeds along the shore…see the mighty rushing engine, hear her merry bell ring out….as they speed along in safety, on the “Great Rock-Island Route.”. ….a rewritten version by William Kindt appeared in 1904 under the title
The Carter Family made one of the first recordings of the song in 1929….albeit was not released until 1932….then another popular version was recorded by Roy Acuff in 1936….with the Acuff version is one of the fewer than 40 all-time singles to have sold 10 million (or more) physical copies worldwide. All we can say here at ImaSportsphile….is that when the Roy Acuff version is joined in perfect harmony with the highlights of the 1934 Gashouse Gang from St Louis victory in the World Series over the Detroit Tigers….it is simply a match made in Heaven.
