we have an argument at work is take me out to the ballgame played during the 7th inning in all the ballparks ?

im pretty sure that it is, just that it isnt always televised so you might not think so. here in chicago at the great Wrigley Field, its always sung by a new person in memory of Harry Carray who died a few years back. not everyone does what we do at cubs games, but im 99% sure everyone plays some form of "take me out to the ballgame" before the bottom of the 7th inning.

Probably not in Mexico, Japan, or Korea.

Bob

It is nothing that is officially done. There were times immediately after 9/11 when many parks sang "God Bless America" instead.

I don't specifically remember if it was sang in Montreal or not. Perhaps I was sleeping to soundly. (Like the train conductors of yesteryear when approaching a station, the Montreal ushers wake everyone up in the bottom of the eighth to let them know they can get ready to go home.)

Good point but you presume someone was actually in the stands watching the game in Mtl. I havent been to a game in Montreal in a few years now so I guess if I want to see one more I better get there soon.

In Ottawa (TripleA) they do it.

This is completely unrelated, but one thing that aggravates me is the grammar "correction" people make in this song.

Repeat after me:

"I don't care if I *NEVER* get back."

That's the line. Do a Google search on the title along with 1908 (when the song was written).

Also, in the original it is crackerjack, not crackerjackS. And it's "with" the crowd, not "to" the crowd.

I'm going to go take my meds now.

Rich

You're right, Rich. Those erroneous but common changes bug me, too. After all, you don't rhyme "crackerjacks" with "back."

Listen to the singers butcher the words to the <i>Star Spangled Banner,</i> too. "Perilous <i>flight?</i>"

[Edited by greymule on Aug 13th, 2003 at 04:49 PM]

I don't thinks it's sung / played at all the US ML ballparks.

I do know that for many years, "Thank God I'm A Country Boy" was played in Baltimore. (I neither know nor care why.)

Oh, you hit on another one. The word is PERILOUS. It's not pear-uh-liss.

Rich

God Bless America is still played at Fenway during the 7th inning stretch.

at the cubs games, they used to sing God Bless America along with Take Me Out to the Ballgame during the 7th inning stretch (god bless might have been before the game, cant remember). we gave up singing God Bless America because it was time to move on, were back to only take me out to the ballgame.

Right again, Rich. However, my misspelling of <i>perilous</i> was not intended, so I have corrected it in my last post.

Once before a Phillies game James Earl Jones spoke the national anthem to the music. Most people at the park thought it was great.

I like it when they sing the national anthem straight, without trying to "improve" it with a lot of ornate embellishment. The Metropolitan Opera star Robert Merrill used to sing it beautifully at Yankee Stadium.

As for "God Bless America," any song that the ACLU wants banned from the public schools automatically goes on my list of favorites.

As a Canadian, I feel proud when I hear on sports broadcasts songs such as God Bless America. For example, I very much enjoyed Celine Dion sing that song.

When the planes fly overhead with one missing (don't know what that's called, sorry) - man that's great stuff.

Mike

The missing man formation, I believe.

Missing Man
 

Yes Garth, it is the Missing Man Formation - somberly symbolizing military personnel that have been killed and that will not be returning home.

Surprisingly, I have seen the script for the star spangled banner incorrectly showing the word "flight." And oh how many High School Students sing it incorrectly at their sporting events!

I'm sure the flight of our flag was perilous as well, but as you have noted the correct word is "fight."

http://www.law.ou.edu/hist/ssb.html

You might want to check out a very thorough site for conservative thought and our country's historical documents. I recommend it highly. The Star Spangled Banner script is here also:

http://federalist.com/histdocs/

One last shot concerning the glory of our flag:

http://www.dobhran.com/greetings/GRinspire466.htm