Originally the B-side of the album's second single, "Rock and Roll Girls" (#20 US, Spring 1985), the song is now commonly played at baseball games across the United States.

"[7] Baseball legends mentioned in the song include DiMaggio, Willie Mays, and Ty Cobb, all of them center fielders.

Fogerty quoted a line from Chuck Berry's "Brown Eyed Handsome Man" in the first verse: "rounding third, he was heading for home."

The final verse quotes longtime Oakland Athletics and San Francisco Giants broadcaster Lon Simmons, whose home run call was "Tell it goodbye!"

In a radio interview with Dan Patrick on October 8, 2015, Fogerty mentioned that he always pictured Jackie Robinson as the "brown eyed handsome man" who was "rounding third, headed for home".

Since it became available digitally in the 21st century, it has sold 734,000 downloads in the U.S.[9] "Centerfield" is a fixture at ballparks of all levels, frequently played either when teams take the field or in-between innings.

At T-Mobile Park, home field of the Seattle Mariners, the song is played just before the gates open prior to a game.

On July 25, 2010, Fogerty performed it at the induction ceremonies of the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown to commemorate the song's 25th anniversary, with Mays in attendance.