What's with this "God Bless America" stuff at the All-Star Game?

[Bozita]

Starting to sound like a NASCAR event.

[Rosemary2205]

1. What's wrong is NASCAR?

Or "God Bless America"?

[EFerrari]

6. It's coercive. n/t

[Rosemary2205]

9. More info needed

excuse my hard head. I don't understand.

[EFerrari]

10. When you are made to stand and sing (no matter the song)

that's coercion. It's fine for people who want to, not fine for ticket buyers who don't share those sentiments.

[Rosemary2205]

14. I never stand

Though I sometimes get lucky and buy a handicapped spot at the ballpark where I can just park the wheelchair I'm in, I normally have bought regular seats and someone carries me to my seat. I tend to get to the game well before most patrons so we are not climbing over people....they do not see me carried in. I CANNOT stand and my singing voice is awful so I don't sing. Never once have I had anyone look at me sideways. In fact, in Atlanta, this seems to be a common time to head for concession or the restrooms. Never once have I felt pressured to sing along by the expectations of the crowd.

But I guess that's just me.

[Bluebear]

15. How is this for coercive? >>>>

On the orders of George Steinbrenner, the New York Yankees now string up chains along the seats to keep people standing and secured -- and not going to the concessions or bathroom -- for the seventh-inning singing of "God Bless America."

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/07/08/INGAHQQ8D91.DTL

[EFerrari]

16. I'm not saying this very well. Thanks, Bluebear. n/t

[Rosemary2205]

18. Steinbrenner is an ass. Always was, always will be.

He's hardly representative of baseball as a whole

and I have no clue what he's got to do with NASCAR. (the OP)

[masshole]

2. at most every single MLB ballgame

GBA is played in the 7th inning. Some still play "Take me out to the Ballgame" but not many.

[JTG of the PRB]

4. They still play "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" at Coors Field...

... except on Sundays. I think they play GBA on Sundays only.

[mb7588a]

5. it's actually the other way around,

unless it's a patriotic holiday, 9/11, playoffs, opening day, or all star game.

Most teams (except Boston and the NY teams) no longer do it.

[Rosemary2205]

8. The Braves do both.

I like it.

[mb7588a]

3. I can't stand it either.

There's no reason to play that song at a baseball game... ever. EVER.

The thing that irks me the most is that people stand up and take their hat off... Once a guy yelled at me to take my hat off - I refused, telling him that it was not the national anthem. He got furious, insisting that it was. It was a big mess, eventually ending in his wife convincing him I was right. Idiot.

I've written to MLB about it, as have a lot of other people. I never received a response.

[alarimer]

7. At Yankee Stadium they chain you in your seats too during GBA

there was a thread about this the other day. Sickening.

[Bozita]

12. I read that thread. That's what got me pissed tonight.

It took the singer forever to set up her equipment. Then, we had to wait for her to remove her shoes.

Now, THAT's kinky.

[cui bono]

11. How about the impeachment banner...

did you see it? Was it unfurled and aired?

[HughMoran]

13. It's the new national anthem ya know

They seem to do it during the 7th inning stretch of most ball games...

It's better than the stupid national anthem we have now, though I am tired of RW "God Bless 'Merca" bumper stickers. I do differentiate between this old song and the RW small-mindedness.

[Danieljay]

17. Hellooooo! Fox News is covering it. It MUST be patriotic. blehhhh. n/t

[pinniped]

19. They don't play that stuff here at regular season games.

.