Seventh Inning Stretch

October 20, 2004 7:58 PM

When did "God Bless America" replace "Take me out to the ballgame" as the seventh inning stretch song in baseball? Is this just a NYC thing for the ALCS? Or did crackerjack sue someone?
posted by mathowie to sports, hobbies, & recreation (16 comments total)

It was common after 9/11 in all parks but since then everyone but the Yankees has dropped it. With the postseason, Fox brought it back for TV ratings. They sing Take Me Out after God Bless America when we are at commerical.
posted by karmaville at 8:08 PM on October 20, 2004

And yet when they sing Take Me Out in Yankee stadium they like peanuts and Crunch and Munch.


mmmmm . . .Corporate America
posted by jeremias at 8:25 PM on October 20, 2004

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire has complained that his middle relievers go cold at Yankee Stadium after that too-long stretch.
posted by gimonca at 9:05 PM on October 20, 2004

It's an NY thing. We sing "Take Me Out" at Fenway.

"Take Me Out" was written by Judy Garland's uncle, Harry von Tilzer (obviously, both "Garland" and "von Tilzer" were stage names).

Much cooler is the new version of "Tessie" by the Dropkick Murphys.
posted by Sidhedevil at 9:16 PM on October 20, 2004

BTW, Yankee Stadium reinstated Cracker Jack in June after extensive public outcry.
posted by werty at 9:22 PM on October 20, 2004

It's a convienient way to send a middle finger to atheists and Canadians at the same time. Killing two birds with one stone, ya know. Carlos Delgado, for one, has had enough.

Since "God Bless America" has become shorthand for "Vote Republican," the practice is ingratiating.
posted by PrinceValium at 10:03 PM on October 20, 2004

Since "God Bless America" has become shorthand for "Vote Republican," the practice is ingratiating.

Didn't Kerry end his closing statement at the debate with "God Bless America"? Hmm. I think your assessment might be a bit faulty.
posted by gd779 at 6:12 AM on October 21, 2004

I don't have anything to back it up, but I've always been told it's Steinbrenner's choice. And, well, he pays the checks, so what he says, goes. There's a bit more about it here.
posted by mkultra at 6:56 AM on October 21, 2004

BTW, since it hasn't been mentioned- "God Bless America" has been played at every 7th-Inning Stretch at Yankee Stadium since 9/11. Usually, it's that horrid Kate Smith version that sounds like she has a frog in her throat. The trifecta of patriotism is then rounded out by "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" and "Cotton-Eyed Joe" (yes, you read that correctly).
posted by mkultra at 7:47 AM on October 21, 2004

Actually, I believe "God Bless America" is played in every 7th inning stretch in Yankee Stadium since 9/11, and on Sundays in all ballgames.

At least, that's what Bob Uecker tells me.
posted by rocketman at 8:27 AM on October 21, 2004

Good thing the Blue Jays didn't make the playoffs, eh?
posted by terrapin at 9:13 AM on October 21, 2004

In Texas, we sing "God Bless America" (since 9/11), then "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," then "Deep in the Heart of Texas."

It's a lot of singing.
posted by LittleMissCranky at 11:00 AM on October 21, 2004

In Toronto nowadays we don't do GBA anymore, although I believe we did at Bud's request in late 2001. The seventh inning stretch usually features the Blue Jays rally song, which has a much simpler lyrical structure, namely:

Okay! (Okay!)
Blue Jays! (Blue Jays!)
Let's!
Play!
Ball!

This song is performed with a dance routine by people dressed up as Pizza Pizza slices. (The exception this year was the Pride Day Game, in which the dancers were dressed up as—I am not making this up—giant pieces of fruit.)

Some days it makes me long for the simplicity of GBA.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 1:35 PM on October 21, 2004

I'm a Sox fan, but I have to say Baltimore's choice, John Denver's "Thank God I'm a Country Boy," is best. It can be appreciated (and sung) in ironic and non-ironic ways. Fenway makes up by playing "Love That Dirty Water" after every win. It's some sort of Pavlovian experiment that was set up by a Harvard psych prof in the '60s and forgotten about because the team didn't win enough.
posted by yerfatma at 3:18 PM on October 21, 2004

In Texas, we sing "God Bless America" (since 9/11), then "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," then "Deep in the Heart of Texas."

I'm guessing that's at the Juicebox, right? I've heard all three at the Ballpark in Arlington, but never more than one per night. I think they rotate 'em.
posted by Ufez Jones at 5:48 PM on October 21, 2004

Yeah, that's at MM. I heard them do all three in Arlington, but that was a couple of years ago, so they must have stopped doing that.
posted by LittleMissCranky at 8:26 AM on October 22, 2004