SAN FRANCISCO – A cable car dedicated to the recently departed Tony Bennett passes in front of the historic Fairmont Hotel, where in 1961 the singer first performed the song that would forever tie him to San Francisco.
San Francisco officials dedicated one of the city’s iconic cable cars on Valentine’s Day to Bennett, whose “I Left My Heart in San Francisco” included a line about “the city where little cable cars go among the stars.” I climb in.” He died last summer at the age of 96.
The song was a massive hit and Bennett returned to the city frequently, even appearing with the late Senator Dianne Feinstein when she was mayor in 1984 to rebuild the cable system. His statue is on the front lawn of the Fairmont San Francisco. And a small road near the hotel is named after him.
The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has 42 cable cars, four of which are dedicated to individuals, including former baseball center fielder Willie Mays, says Arne Hansen, superintendent of cable car vehicle maintenance.
“Some people especially look forward to this car because they want to ride the Tony Bennett Cable Car like they want to ride the Willie Mays car, which is Car 24,” he said.
Car 53, built in 1907, was in the process of being restored after an accident when the idea of dedicating the car to Bennett occurred. It is bright red with blue and white trim and features plaques explaining the singer’s connection with San Francisco.
Also unique to the car, the traditional “ribbons” on both ends say “Halfway to the Stars, Since 1873”, a song and reference to the year the city’s cable car system was born. Regular cable cars have ribbons listing the names of streets on their routes.
The car also alludes to the song’s writers, George Corey and Douglas Cross, who had moved to Brooklyn and were nostalgic for San Francisco. The song received little attention until Bennett’s arrival.
As Bennett’s cable car moved out of the barn – where the cable cars sleep at night – and into Chinatown on Thursday, a group of children on the sidewalk shouted, “Ring the bell.”
Bennett Way is not only for tourists, but also takes people to work and grocery stores, as well as giving them views of Fairmont.
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