Comments on: Seventh Inning Stretch

Question: Seventh Inning Stretch

mathowie — Wed, 20 Oct 2004 19:58:33 -0800

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?

By: karmaville

karmaville — Wed, 20 Oct 2004 20:08:34 -0800

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.

By: jeremias

jeremias — Wed, 20 Oct 2004 20:25:51 -0800

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

mmmmm . . .Corporate America

By: gimonca

gimonca — Wed, 20 Oct 2004 21:05:45 -0800

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire has complained that his middle relievers go cold at Yankee Stadium after that too-long stretch.

By: Sidhedevil

Sidhedevil — Wed, 20 Oct 2004 21:16:59 -0800

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.

By: werty

werty — Wed, 20 Oct 2004 21:22:10 -0800

BTW, Yankee Stadium reinstated Cracker Jack in June after extensive public outcry.

By: PrinceValium

PrinceValium — Wed, 20 Oct 2004 22:03:06 -0800

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.

By: gd779

gd779 — Thu, 21 Oct 2004 06:12:31 -0800

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.

By: mkultra

mkultra — Thu, 21 Oct 2004 06:56:27 -0800

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.

By: mkultra

mkultra — Thu, 21 Oct 2004 07:47:39 -0800

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).

By: rocketman

rocketman — Thu, 21 Oct 2004 08:27:23 -0800

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.

By: terrapin

terrapin — Thu, 21 Oct 2004 09:13:44 -0800

Good thing the Blue Jays didn't make the playoffs, eh?

By: LittleMissCranky

LittleMissCranky — Thu, 21 Oct 2004 11:00:13 -0800

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.

By: DrJohnEvans

DrJohnEvans — Thu, 21 Oct 2004 13:35:47 -0800

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.

By: yerfatma

yerfatma — Thu, 21 Oct 2004 15:18:24 -0800

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.

By: Ufez Jones

Ufez Jones — Thu, 21 Oct 2004 17:48:52 -0800

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.

By: LittleMissCranky

LittleMissCranky — Fri, 22 Oct 2004 08:26:28 -0800

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.