Moorpark Resident to Sing National Anthem at Dodger Stadium Tonight

A Moorpark resident and former pitcher of the Dodgers is scheduled to sing the national anthem tonight at Dodger Stadium when the Dodgers go up against the Anaheim Angels during the 7 p.m. game.

Ralph Mauriello looks back fondly at his stint with the Brooklyn Dodgers, as it was known then.

"I was an 18-year-old free agent then in 1952 and I played in three Major League games during the 1958 regular season, when the Dodgers were already in LA," said the Brooklyn native.

Life had other plans for Mauriello who ended up pursuing electrical engineering. He worked for Litton Industries for over 30 years and ran his own consulting firm for another nine years before retiring. 

These days, the 78-year-old is a featured soloist with the San Fernando Valley Male Chorus and Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church choir. He also sings at birthday parties and other special events.

Mauriello was at a baseball game at Dodger Stadium when he was "discovered" and landed his national anthem gig.

"We were celebrating the Dodgers' 50 years and the subject came up that I was a professional singer too," he said of the 2008 event.

Since then, he has been asked to sing the national anthem an average of once a year except for 2011, when there was a last-minute cancellation and he got two invitations

"I usually come in and head straight to the press box to rehearse with the organ player," he said, describing his routine. "Then I head over to the field to do a sound check with the ear plugs."

When asked which team he's going to root for tonight, Mauriello said chuckling, "My wife is an Angels fan."

He said, "However, I enjoy watching the games but I've stopped rooting for a particular team. I have a tremendous amount respect for both teams playing tonight."