Quick question, do they sing “God Bless America” in Toronto or Montreal (we won’t have to worry about Montreal now)?
MtM
Not in my experience. I’ve only been to a couple games, though, and my memory’s a little hazy.
I think “God Bless America” is purely a NY Yankees, Post Sept 11 deal.
“Take Me Out To the Ballgame” is more traditional.
It’s been a few years since I’ve been to a Blue Jays game, but when I did regularly go to games in Toronto, “God Bless America” was never sung.
Before the game, there was “O Canada” and “The Star Spangled Banner,” of course. Later, during the seventh inning stretch, there was some kind of specially-written song for the Jays (“You got a diamond, you got nine men…Okay, Blue Jays, let’s play ball,” or something like that), sung while a bunch of young people did aerobics that were supposed to encourage the crowd to get fit.
But it certainly wasn’t “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.” In fact, I don’t recall “Ballgame” ever being officially sung at either Skydome or Exhibition Stadium. Of course, it could have been; my memory may be hazy.
Anyway, things may have changed during the seventh-inning stretch at Jays games, but I somehow doubt that the singing of “God Bless America” would be among the changes.
It’s not just the Yankees. A lot of other teams do it too but only on Sundays.
Haj
It’s pretty much become standard in the league. First GBA then Take Me Out To the Ballgame.
It’s standard in the playoffs. It’s standard every game at Yankee Stadium. Other teams do it on Sundays or holidays.
At all the minor league games that Barb and I have attended over the years (Syracuse [Sky] Chiefs, Watertown Pirates, Watertown Indians, Carolina Mudcats) all but one prior to 9/11, “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” at the 7th inning stretch was an invariable custom.
I believe the “God Bless America” thing started at the first Yankees home game after 9/11, and people liked the idea and continued it, spreading it from there across much if not all of MLB.
In Toronto, we sing both “OK Blue Jays” and “Take me out to the Ball Game.”
“God Bless America” was sung a few times right after 9/11, by order of Major League Baseball. Nobody minded, given the circumstances.