Why Are We Doing The National Anthem At The Home Run Derby?
A Piffany About A Pastime Tradition That Has Passed Its Time
Sure, there are too, too many serious things I could be, should be, would be writing about. But seriously...?
I feel for Ingrid Andress. Really, I do.
“The Star-Spangled Banner” is a tough song, vocally, already. Try singing it in an open stadium, where the acoustics echo hither and tither, throwing off your timing. Then try it a cappella. So many things can go awry. Even if you’re a four-time Grammy nominee (including one for Best New Artist) who also has written bangers such as “Boys” for Charli XCX.
UPDATE! Andress has revealed she was drunk, apologized and said she’s checking herself into rehab.
But the lingering question isn’t whether Andress’ rendition ranks worse than Roseanne Barr’s roasting of the National Anthem before a 1990 Padres game in San Diego, Carl Lewis pausing to apologize while butchering the notes before a 1993 Nets game in New Jersey, or even whatever you made of Fergie’s vampy alley cat lounge act version at the 2018 NBA All-Star Game.
We should be asking why we’re even doing the National Anthem at every single sporting event. Why?
I’m not the first person or comedian to point out how weird we are as Americans for doing this. Trevor Noah has a whole routine about anthems in his most recent Netflix special, Where Was I?, noting that other countries only perform their anthems when in competition with other countries. We do it all the time just because.
@stoniepresents Trevor Noah talks about the national anthem and how other countries don't play it on repeat. Steven Colbert poses the question to Trevor about what he has noticed since he left the U.S. #stoniepresents #trevornoah #leftist #politics #nationalanthem #democrat #republican #stevencolbert #talkshow #politicaltiktok
♬ original sound - Stonie - Stonie
Or perhaps because of the military. After all, “The Star-Spangled Banner” only became our official anthem in 1931, and then enshrined as a pre-game tradition at sporting events here a decade later during World War II to exhibit our patriotism during wartime. But now?
Now almost a decade after the U.S. Senate found that “the Pentagon paid $9 million over the past four years to sports franchises for patriotic events; the taxpayer funds were used to sponsor performances of God Bless America and the National Anthem, flag displays, and recognition for “hometown heroes,” as well as tickets for luxury suites, signed autographs, and cheerleader appearances,” and the following year Americans lost their minds when 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat out and then kneeled during the anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality, it’s just one of those things. As a child growing up in Connecticut, I enjoyed attending Hartford Whalers games where they often played both “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “Oh Canada” because of the NHL’s long reach north of the border. And as a resident of Queens, New York City, I gladly go to Mets games each summer, and each time, it’s noticeable how many times Citi Field stops to get our attention for patriotism. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. If anything, it’s a reminder of how little we actually support the troops when they come home.
So back to my initial question that forms the headline above.
Why are we doing the national anthem at the Home Run Derby? It’s not a ballgame. It’s an exhibition. For funsies.
But perhaps more specifically to this event, MLB’s 2024 Home Run Derby had eight players competing. Half of whom foreign-born. Three Dominicans — including this year’s champ, Dodgers centerfielder Teoscar Hernández, plus Marcell Ozuna from the Braves and José Ramírez from the Guardians — and one Cuban, Adolis García of the Rangers.
So if they were going to do the anthem, then they needed to also perform the anthems for Cuba and the Dominican Republic.
And I know just who they could’ve should’ve would’ve booked.