Otis Williams had a confession.

Asked whether or not he was a baseball fan, the 82-year-old founder of The Temptations coughed and stated in a low, sing-song voice: “Dodgers.”

Sixty years after its debut, The Temptations’ “My Girl” has grow to be a success at Citi Field since New York Mets star Francisco Lindor started utilizing it as his walk-up track in late May. Fans proceed singing the lyrics even after Lindor’s plate look is underway.

The Temptations detoured to New York on an off day from their tour to carry out “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “My Girl” earlier than the Mets beat Los Angeles 12-6 on Friday evening (Oct. 18) and closed to 3-2 within the NL Championship Series.

“It’s the highest compliment you can get,” Williams stated in a inexperienced room behind residence plate.

Wearing blue tuxedos with orange pocket squares, the 5 singers stood on the warning observe behind residence plate and sang an a cappella model of the nationwide anthem that highlighted their harmonic excellence as Lindor watched from the foul line behind first base and sang alongside.

They then donned Mets jerseys and sang “My Girl” with music backing them on the sound system as Lindor warmed up with sprints on the outfield grass, smiling extensively and bobbing his head. He reached the dugout by the tip and exchanged his particular pregame handshake with with teammate Pete Alonso.

“Most players, they pick a walk-up song just because that’s how they feel in the moment but they also want the fans to vibe to to the song,” Lindor stated. “Whenever you see the whole crowd getting into it, I think it’s pretty cool.”

Released on Dec. 21, 1964, “My Girl” grew to become the group’s first No. 1 hit the next March and has been streamed 1 billion instances on Spotify. The track’s affect grew to become clear to Williams throughout a 1965 live performance at Harlem’s Apollo Theater.

“We went out on the stage and we did the show without ‘My Girl.’ They damned near called us every name except the child of God,” he stated, “so we know we can never, ever take that the song out.”

Lindor picked the track as a result of of his spouse Katia and daughters Kalina and Amapola. He didn’t anticipate the response.

“Last year I changed the song every single day,” he stated. “I changed it because it was the song I was vibing to at the moment and it took off. I don’t know if it’s because I started hitting or because we started winning or because the song is good.”

“My Girl” was written and produced by Smokey Robinson and Ronnie White.

“Smokey saw us perform in Detroit at a place called the 20 Grand and he said then, ‘I got a song for you guys’ and he pointed to Davey Ruffin,” Williams recalled, referring to a lead singer for the group within the Nineteen Sixties.

“So we went in the studio and we put the vocals down and I said: ‘Smokey did another great song for us.’ But when Paul Riser edited the strings and horns, I said, ‘Oh, oh, this is a different kind of song.’ So I went in the control room. I said, ‘Smokey, I don’t know how big a record this is going to become, but this is going to be something big.’”

A number of months after the discharge, Williams stated he acquired congratulatory telegrams from the Supremes and the Beatles, proudly proclaiming: “I have that at the house.”

The Temptations have been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989 for a listing together with “Just My Imagination,” “Get Ready” and “Papa Was a Rolling Stone.” They’ve had 14 No. 1 hits and 42 within the high 10.

Sujata Murthy, Universal Music Enterprises’ government vp of media and artist relations, took discover of Lindor’s use of the track and contacted the Mets. The group was in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, for a live performance final weekend and diverted to New York forward of performances this weekend at North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Durham, North Carolina.

Williams, who turns 83 on Oct. 30, is the final authentic member of the group. He has no intention of retiring.

“I tell people I’m going to ride the hell out of the horse,” he stated. “When I get off the horse, it’s going to be bald. That’s a lot of rides when you ride the horse bald.”

Williams grew up in Detroit, however the Motown baseball staff didn’t get his allegiance.

“Tigers is flimflam,” he stated. “But the Lions now, they got promise. They got hope. I love the Lions. I’m still a Detroiter at heart, even though I’m in LA.”