Is singing the national anthem and god bless america at a baseball game a little bit of overkill?

Answer 1

I was just about to ask this question, that's why I logged on here. Yes, I think it's too much. I can understand doing it after 9/11, but 6 years later.....geez. Time to respect the game's TRADITION and go back to "Take me out to the Ballgame." The National Anthem is enough. And I'm a patriotic person!

Answer 2

Yes. The national anthem was introduced by the conservative baseball owners in WWII. Before that it was just baseball. Now, with GBA every 7th inning, it leaves one to wonder just how things will evolve over the next few decades. It's like a scene from Catch - 22 in which a patriotism drive had men saying the Pledge of Allegiance just to get food and reciting the Declaration to get their ammunition. Enough already. We too much like sheep as it is.

Answer 3

I understand what you're saying because I was thinking about that same thing myself earlier this evening. Traditionally we should stay with the national anthem, but I feel the singing of God Bless America is too much. I love the patriotic spirit of our country and national pastime but I would love to hear "Take me out to the ball game" being played during the 7th inning stretch.

Answer 4

I am all for patriotism, and consider myself a very proud American. I agreed with it in the month after 9/11, and I am grateful to all that our troops have done to secure our ability to do things as simple as watching a baseball game. I will never forget 9/11, I will never forget that we need to do everything we can to make sure that doesn't happen again.

However, the game of baseball is more aligned with tradition than just about any other game we play here. Heck, many people will take a home run called as a foul ball over the use of instant replay to get the call right. That gives you some idea of how traditionalistic baseball is.

One of the traditions, unchanged for decades, is for tens of thousands of people to gather 'round and sing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." Maybe this will sound strange to some, and maybe even unpatriotic, but I dare say that, in that setting, it has more of a celebrate-America feel than "God Bless America" does. It's such a simple, happy little tune, and Americans started singing it ten years before "God Bless America" was written. 50,000 people, from all different walks of life, getting together and singing the same happy song. Now THAT's American.

"Take Me Out to the Ball Game" is a song that gives a crowd the feeling of...hey, this is fun. I'm lucky to be here today. It brings smiles, it makes people happy. And that, I think, is more American than just about anything I can think of. I also can't stand it when the lone singer butchers "God Bless America," and that happens quite often. This doesn't happen with the collective "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" voice of the stadium. The singing of "God Bless America," all too often these days, has become a simply place for star "recording artists" to get their names out and sell CDs. I think it has lost its purpose, and that's when it's time for a change.

On a side note, keep "The Star-Spangled Banner," but please sing it straight and don't split each note into about eight, trying to get all fancy. Also, don't do a Whitney Houston, going for an extra high note on "free." It wasn't written like that, and too many singers hit it flat, anyway. Just sing it straight, concentrate on the actual words, it's fine as it is. OK, rant done.

"God Bless America," I believe, has served its purpose at baseball games, and perhaps the time has come for it to be honorably retired. I say this with the utmost respect for my country, what it represents, and what its people have fought and died for.

Answer 5

The national anthem has always been sung before games and should continue to be. The singing of "God Bless America" started right after 9/11. It was very moving and patriotic at the time, but geez!!!!!! It's 6 years after the fact now!!!! Time to move on.

Answer 6

Yes, it is overkill. I turn the radio or television down whenever "God Bless America" comes on. We have the "Star-Spangled Banner" to start the game. We don't need to be reminded that we are Americans in the seventh inning.

The sad thing is, the people in charge of putting on "God" fear that if they pull the plug they will be accused of being unpatriotic or something. No doubt, there will be some who will try to make that claim.

But let's get real. It's cheesy. It has worn out its welcome. And it serves no purpose.

Answer 7

Singing TSSB dates back to WWI, actually. It's a nice enough tradition, it's short, I don't mind it. (Plus, when the Blue Jays are playing, they add O Canada, which is a much nicer song musically.)

But I am dead sick of GBA. It filled a need for the rest of 2001 and the 2002 season, but now it's just a parasitic growth that the baseball powers-that-be lack either the courage or interest to dispose of. It is past time to do so.

Answer 8

They started it after 9/11 I think & I think yeah, Im not a traditionalist but I say lets stick to the Anthem & Take me out to the ball game, regular season baseball is slow enough.

Answer 9

I thought Ashanti Sounded GREAT singing God Bless America

Answer 10

Nah, i just hate it when they bring in these pop stars who have no connection to the community. Give the viewers some of the local culture and send Ashanti home.