FRONT ROYAL — During the height of his career in the 1940s, legendary entertainer Harry Lillis “Bing” Crosby stepped up to the plate to help the Warren County community build a baseball stadium.
The Warren Heritage Society (WHS) will pay homage to Crosby's contributions with a new exhibit set to run from April 2 to May 31.
“Riding High:75 Years Later” tells the story of Crosby’s connection to Front Royal and his above and beyond efforts for the community’s baseball stadium, said Teresa Henry, president of the WHS board of directors.
“He was in his prime and it was just unheard of for someone of that caliber to come to our little town,” Henry said of a pair of Crosby visits in 1948 and 1950. “He was such a standup guy. He loved the youth and wanted to do whatever he could to help us. That was a pretty amazing contribution.”
Born in 1903, Crosby was first known for his singing voice. His recording career began in October 1926 with “I’ve Got the Girl” and ended with his final recording, “Once In a While,” which was released just before his death in 1977 at age 74. The biggest hit of his career was the holiday classic "White Christmas."
Somewhere along the line, Crosby befriended the late Raymond R. Guest, who lived in Front Royal and served as a Virginia state senator from 1947-53.
“We found documents as far back as 1940 that [Crosby] was in town visiting him. They had a long friendship,” Henry said.
While serving as Grand Marshal for the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Parade in Winchester in the spring of 1948, Crosby stayed with Guest. He learned that the Warren County/Front Royal Recreation Association was ramping up efforts to raise money for a new baseball stadium, to be situated on land the town already owned.
“The way the stories go — looking back in the newspaper articles — he and Raymond talked about it and he wanted to be a part of it. He said he would make an appearance and sing a couple songs. It happened very quickly — there was like a day turnaround,” Henry said, adding that Crosby presented the recreation association a $1,000 check after his performance. “That was the start of it.”
Guest and Crosby stayed in touch and continued to discuss the fundraising efforts, and Guest asked Crosby to return to Front Royal to help.
“He said absolutely he would. He had a premier coming out so it was great timing,” she said, noting that, according to reports, Crosby worked with publicists at Paramount Pictures to bring the premier of “Riding High” to downtown Front Royal’s Park Theater.
The town was not foolin' around when it rolled out the red carpet and pulled out all the stops for an extravaganza it dubbed “Bing Crosby Day” on April 1, 1950.
In addition to the movie premiere, which was free, there was a huge parade and a cake contest where Crosby served as the judge.
“They gave him a 14-foot key to the city that had to be brought in on a trailer and he read from a scroll of all the names of people who had contributed — there were 5,000 people. The scroll was 200-feet long,” Henry said, adding that while many people donated, Crosby’s visit helped the recreation association reach its goal.
“I believe that after they had added everything up, they had just over $12,000 and he put in the rest of the money to bring it to $15,000,” Henry said. “He is really why we got the stadium so quickly. He made it happen.”
During the festivities, the new Bing Crosby Stadium, located on 8th Street, was dedicated and opened, said Joe Petty, executive director of WHS.
“I think they continued to add on to it for the next few years. There are records from April 1950 of high school baseball game scores at Bing Crosby Stadium,” Petty said, adding that it was renovated in 2006.
Henry said that Front Royal continued to celebrate Bing Crosby Day for a few years before the event fizzled out. She said she has not uncovered any documentation to suggest that Crosby himself returned for those events.
The Heritage Society will open for the 2025 season on Wednesday, with its “Riding High” exhibit, which includes scores of pieces of memorabilia and documentation from the original Bing Crosby Day 75 years ago, Petty said.
“Most of the exhibit is very document heavy,” Petty said, noting that it includes a program from the event, along with newspaper clippings, tickets and photographs.
Added Henry, “There are lots of photographs of people swarming him at these events.”
Petty said the “Riding High” movie trailer will be playing at the exhibit, alongside an original movie poster and buttons and ribbons worn on the festive day.
An opening reception for the exhibit is set for 5 to 7 p.m. Friday. Summer hours for the Warren Heritage Society, located at 101 Chester St. in Front Royal, are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The historical complex is open from 10 a.m to 7 p.m. on Thursdays.
Henry said that the Heritage Society is hoping to offer other programming around the Bing Crosby exhibit, but details have not been finalized.
Other exhibits planned for the Heritage Society this season include a tribute to fire and rescue and an art show in the fall. The organization plans to bring back its Decades Block Party this summer, Petty said.
WHS will also be seeking a new executive director this year. Executive director since May, Petty recently accepted a new position as town manager for the Town of Front Royal. He said Friday that he has enjoyed his time with the Heritage Society.
“It was just a great opportunity to work in my community with an organization that’s had a strong foundation for over 50 years and that really tells our story,” said Petty. “To be part of that, to work with the staff and our board and the volunteers who come in here who just really care about what we do, our mission, that presentation of our history — it’s truly an honor to be part of it.”
Petty said that the WHS board is “really interested in defining a plan for long-term success. To make sure it’s here for another 50 years,” adding that he will continue his membership with WHS and hopes to volunteer.
Henry described Petty as a multi-talented professional who brought stability to the organization after it had been without a director for a while.
“He really stepped up. He helped build our budget and plan out our events,” she said, noting that he is leaving the organization with a full slate of planned activities and in a position to apply again for state funding next year. “He’s done amazing things for the organization. I’m glad that we have a board that saw the opportunity of what Joe would bring to our organization in hiring him. I couldn't be more proud to call him a friend. I'm so excited for this opportunity for Joe and I’m really excited for the opportunity for our community. This is a really big win for Front Royal.”
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