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Longtime organist for College World Series dies

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Lambert Bartak, the organist who entertained Rosenblatt Stadium's baseball fans for more than half a century during the College World Series, has died. He was 94.

His son, Jim Bartak of San Diego, says Bartak died Sunday in San Diego following a brief illness.

Starting in 1955, Bartak played such standards as "Hello Dolly" and "You Are My Sunshine" on his 1947 Hammond organ stationed at the far end of Rosenblatt Stadium's press box in Omaha during the annual series. He retired in 2010, the last year the College World Series was played in Rosenblatt.

Before his baseball organist days, Bartak was known as an accomplished accordionist and musician who had his own radio and TV shows in the 40s and 50s.

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