Americans are used to the tradition of the national anthem being played at the start of major sporting events.
It was not preplanned.
On September 11, 1918, Game 5 of the World Series was scheduled to be played between the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs. While it may seem like a modern theme, the game was delayed over a money dispute.
The players felt they weren’t getting a big enough share and refused to take the field. There were heated negotiations and finally, an appeal was made to play the game for the sake of all the veterans (World War I) in attendance.
The players relented. The band was instructed to strike up “The Star-Spangled Banner” — which wasn’t yet the national anthem — and a Navy man stood up and at attention. Others followed.
Red Sox owner Harry Frazee took note and ordered the song played before all games after that.
Notes:
•The Red Sox went on to win the World Series and did not win another until 2004.
•Babe Ruth was a key player on the team and only played one more year after that with the Red Sox.
•There are different versions of this story, including one that says the song wasn’t played until the 7th Inning Stretch of the Game.
•At least one musical scholar says the “Star-Spangled Banner” was played before the start of Opening Day games in the 1800s.
•There was criticism of the players in the press the next day, and it sounded eerily like our modern times. A Boston Post reporter wrote: “Professional baseball is dead … killed by the greed of players and owners.”
Sources:
The Washington Post
Baseball Reference
The Greatest Stories Never Told by Rick Beyer
Another good one, Michael. Thanks.