Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift Inaugurate Park

Tim McGraw performs onstage during the 42nd Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 15, 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frank Micelotta./ACMA/Getty Images for ACMA)

Oct. 27, 2008 — Tim McGraw’s late father, Tug McGraw, was famously a part of the 1980 Philadelphia Phillies, the only edition of the team to win a World Series. But after Tim’s role in Saturday’s ceremonies, Tug might play a part in the team’s second world champion as well.

Tug played all his Phillies games at Veterans Stadium, but when Tim delivered the game ball to the pitcher’s mound during Saturday’s pre-game ceremonies, he brought some of Tug’s ashes and sprinkled them symbolically on the hill at Citizens Bank Park, which was hosting the Series for the first time. Steve Carlton, who played on that 1980 Phillies team with Tug, threw the ceremonial first pitch, and Jamie Moyer started Saturday’s game for the Phils, pitching amid the ashes on the way to a 5-4 win against the Tampa Bay Rays.

"[Tim] has his heart in this organization," Jamie told MLB.com. "I'm sure he thought it was going to be good luck, and it turns out that it probably was. Some people might look at it and think it's distasteful, but you know what? It's pretty cool."

Taylor Swift might have provided a bit of luck, as well. Taylor, who grew up in Pennsylvania and previously performed the national anthem for the minor-league Reading Phillies, sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" Saturday, backed only by her spangly acoustic guitar. It was particularly appropriate, since Taylor’s first hit was "Tim McGraw."

"It's monumental and special to me to be at the game where Tim's honoring Tug," she told MLB.com. "It's the World Series, and it's my home and Tim McGraw's here. No pressure or anything, right?"

Yes, she did feel that pressure.

"I can't lie, I was nervous," she admitted. "I didn't feel it until I was halfway through the song, and then my legs started shaking, and I was like, 'Please don't mess up, please don't mess up.' It was so much fun, because you look out at all those people, and all those people have so much love for the team. Just seeing that passion is really amazing and inspiring."

Taylor is slated for another performance Nov. 12 during "The 42nd Annual CMA Awards." That comes the day after she releases her next album, Fearless.