Retired Oklahoma Navy officer recalls moment at 2008 World Series
MilitarySailor’s career memories include performing ‘God Bless America’
PENNY COCKERELL
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Published: June 30, 2009
Oklahoma City native Dorcus Whigham, 38, retired from the Navy this month after 20 years of service.
But the Navy has no award for what this petty officer first class accomplished when the Philadelphia Phillies played the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 5 of the 2008 World Series in Philadelphia. In October, Whigham, also known as a yeoman first class in the Navy, belted out "God Bless America” to the crowd before Game 5 resumed two days after wind and rain interrupted it in the sixth inning. By all accounts, she hit a home run. "I felt like I was grateful, of course, and I felt blessed because they trusted me enough to not only represent the Navy, but the city and the team on national television. So, I’m glad they really liked me.” Yeomen traditionally handle paperwork; they aren’t trained Navy musicians who sing and perform in military bands for a living. So, how was Whigham singled out above all those trained voices? Part of it was being in the right place at the right time. In 2007, she was briefly stationed near Philadelphia at Naval Air Station Willow Grove. Most of her career was spent at Naval Support Activity New Orleans, and she is in the process of moving to Harvey, La., a New Orleans suburb, with her husband James and their three children: Christopher, 18, Quinashai, 16, and Darius, 11. Her parents, Coleman and Christine Ellis, live in southeast Oklahoma City. Whigham graduated from Capitol Hill High School in May 1989. In June, she followed in her older brothers’ footsteps and enlisted in the Navy. "It’s not something I thought when I was a little girl — that I would grow up to be,” said Whigham, who joined the Navy Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps her senior year. While in Pennsylvania, Whigham also caught the eye of a savvy Navy public affairs officer who began booking her for gigs at military games and such. "That’s where it began as far as the military. I would sing different observations or ceremonies and things like that,” Whigham said. "And that came from singing in church and at home.” So, it was that Whigham sang at Military Recognition Day on Memorial Day 2007 in Philadelphia. Other military branches had their roles, too. An Air Force singer sang the national anthem; others performed as color guards. After hearing her sing there, the Phillies’ entertainment event coordinator said she wanted to hear more from Whigham — if they won, that is. "They said if we made it to the World Series, they wanted me back, so I went back,” Whigham said. "It was an honor.” There was one small glitch, however. A half-hour advertisement by then-presidential candidate Barack Obama pre-empted the pregame festivities, so her performance wasn’t televised. Still, it’s a moment she’ll always remember. And her son did capture her singing for YouTube.
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