Baseball fans in the USA. At the 7th inning stretch, should Take Me Out To The Ball Game have been replaced?

Question

It always seems to be God Bless America which is played now. Has a baseball tradition been thrown away?

Also, what is cracker jack?

I like your baseball traditions. That's why I'm asking about it, because I miss Take Me Out To The Ball Game

I think frogysponds answer explains why I thought it had been replaced. In the UK I usually just see regular season games on a Sunday, Plus post-season games. I'm glad it hasn't been replaced. Do they ever play both songs during the 7th inning stretch? I'm not against God Bless America, but I didn't want Take Me Out To The Ball Game to disappear

michigan - I love Take Me Out To The Ball Game! I want it to stay

Answer 1

"Take Me Out to the Ball Game" was written in 1908 but was first sung at a ball game in 1971.

"Among those famously associated with the song was Hall of Fame sportscaster Harry Caray, who began singing at games in Comiskey Park for the Chicago White Sox from the early 1970s to 1981, then in Wrigley Field for the Chicago Cubs from 1982 through 1997. Caray's tradition of leading the crowd in singing the song began when White Sox owner Bill Veeck snuck a public address microphone into Caray's broadcast booth, so that the crowd could hear's Caray's boundless enthusiasm and marginal musical talents — something that previously only his broadcast colleagues were privy to.
After that, Caray began leading the crowd, leaning out the front window of his booth and swinging his microphone in time with the music. When Caray left Sox broadcasts to join the WGN team broadcasting Cubs games, the singing tradition went with him. Late in his career, when Caray missed a number of games due to a stroke, "guest conductors" did the honors; after Caray's death, the guest-conductor tradition has become a part of the Cubs tradition, with different celebrities doing the activities each game, whether it is part of Chicago sports, actors, musicians, news anchors, or fans.

Coincidentally, the year the song was written (1908) is the last year the Cubs won the World Series — after beating out Norworth's Giants for the league championship."

In Phila. we sing both songs at the 7th inning stretch, first God Bless America and then Take Me Out - - I think it's a tradition that will stick for awhile longer, being the home of the Declaration of Independence and all.

Cracker Jack has a nice site with history about the snack. The term Cracker Jack also means something that is above average or super - As in "That was a Cracker Jack game."
It's combination of peanuts & carmel popcorn make it a perfect treat. The toy prize was especially attractive during the Great Depression, when such small prizes were all the toys some children received.

I do not think Take Me Out or Cracker Jack will leave baseball anytime soon. They are as much a part of the game as the bat and ball.

Answer 2

On Sunday and post season games at most Ballparks "God Bless America" is sung at the 7th inning stretch but it hasn't replaced "Take Me Out To the Ball Game".

A Cracker Jack is caramel covered popcorn.

Answer 3

Take Me Out to the Ballgame is still played, usually at the beginning of the 7th inning stretch. Ever since 9/11, God Bless America has been played to remember those that died that day, and also to remember our armed services.

A Cracker Jack is a snack. It's caramel covered popcorn and peanuts. The best part is that there's a prize inside every box.

Answer 4

God Bless America came about after the 9-11 attacks and the resulting wars in IRAQ and Afghanistan...And for those who live in the states and cant stand the song you should all be ashamed of yourselves.....Our troops are putting it all on the line for this country some making the ultimate sacrifice and you people have the nerve to say take me out to the ball game should be played during the seventh inning stretch.....Its the least we can do to support our troops and show support for this country during these trying times!!! I lost a friend in Iraq and i have other friends and family that are serving in the armed forces.....If it wasn't for a medical condition i would have been in the armed services....Get a grip people and lets show support for our troops!!! Everything you need to know about cracker jacks http://www.crackerjack.com/history.php...Its Carmel coated popcorn with peanuts and a prize in the box....

Answer 5

Cracker Jacks is a box of carmel popcorn with peanuts, famous for having a prize in every box.

Too much ritual as it is for me in a game. God Bless America came with 9/11 and its sentiment is all right, of course, but the song is God Awful. Take Me Out to the Ballgame is a good song but I hate the 7th inning ritual use of it. But if it's a choice of the two, far and away, buy me some peanuts and cracker jack

Answer 6

What makes you think that they have stopped playing Take Me out to the Ballgame, and replaced with God Bless America. Now if something happens in America, then it should be sung, but then again you can always sing the song before you do the National Atheme. But really you have to have Take Me out to the Ballgame sung, expect for if something bad happens in America, that will be eason enough to do it. Or when Memorial Day, Fourth of July, an 9/11 comes around. So no for me, but I don't know about you.

Answer 7

It was ok as temporary, but it should go back to Take me out to the ball game. It was replaced because of the 9/11 events. At the time, it was a good deal. It has been some time since 9/11. They should either get over it or down play it. Although, this seems to be more of an East Coast thing. The other divisions in baseball have gone back to the old saying.

Answer 8

God Bless America is played on Sunday, and Cracker jack's is a popcorn and Carmel mix, with a prize in every box

Answer 9

I have never heard anything but take me out to the ball game and I have been to over 300 professional baseball games.

Answer 10

If God Bless America is played all the time, I am going to be pissed.

I HATE that the national anthem is played before every game. Not necessary, noone is going to war here. In the the hunter&gatherer sense of the term anyway.