# Pitting "God Bless America" at baseball games (lame) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 13, 2004, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-god-bless-america-at-baseball-games-lame/268947 "2004-10-13T02:51:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-god-bless-america-at-baseball-games-lame/268947/21 "2004-10-13T13:22:11Z")
> [@thursday next](#): > > My family recently went to see the Astros play on a Sunday, before the regular season ended.They played “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the 7th inning stretch, and then one of the Yea America! songs mentioned above, but at the moment I can’t remember which one. All the times I’ve been at Enr…I mean Minute Maid Park, they’ve played “Deep In The Heart Of Texas” during the 7th inning stretch, which is fun. They better not have stopped doing that, or I’m gonna write someone a forceful letter. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-god-bless-america-at-baseball-games-lame/268947/22 "2004-10-13T14:42:21Z")
> [@Mtgman](#): > > Still, that’s not the majors. In the minors you get all kinds of wacky stuff happening in response to the games. A good sound man can make or break a game with good timing and duration of various clips. Love it when they play “I fought the law and the law won” when someone gets ejected for arguing with a ref. > > Enjoy, > Steven I kinda hate how the minors seem to have turned into being more like the majors and less like a place where you can take the family for 20 bucks. I would also take a live, talented organist over a bunch of sound clips. That said, I agree that a good sound man can help. For whatever reason, I find musical jokes and cues to be really funny when done well, and your example is one of those things. On the other hand, the broken-glass sound effect played once or twice during a game after the ball has gone backwards over the roof is funny; it’s damn annoying after 10 or 20 times. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-god-bless-america-at-baseball-games-lame/268947/23 "2004-10-13T14:52:55Z")
When I’m at a game, that’s bathroom time. I try to time it just before the song (two outs) and hope for neither an extended inning nor a one-pitch out. Showing one’s disgust for the song (from both an aesthetic [Kate Smith - ugh!] and atheistic point) is a no-no in Yankees’ Stadium. While watching the game on TV, I have a remote and I’m not afraid to use it! ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-god-bless-america-at-baseball-games-lame/268947/24 "2004-10-13T15:09:21Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > I find musical jokes and cues to be really funny when done well, and your example is one of those things. On the other hand, the broken-glass sound effect played once or twice during a game after the ball has gone backwards over the roof is funny; it’s damn annoying after 10 or 20 times. My personal pet peeve? Playing about six seconds of the “Stomp, Stomp, CLAP” of “We Will Rock You” and ending just as soon as crowd participation is actually getting going. Especially if you cut it in the middle of the pattern. Damn it! Just let the fucking thing play for twenty seconds or so, it gets the people involved and it doesn’t leave half of them looking/feeling like dumbasses for stomping/clapping after the music stops. Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-god-bless-america-at-baseball-games-lame/268947/25 "2004-10-13T15:19:38Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > On the other hand, the broken-glass sound effect played once or twice during a game after the ball has gone backwards over the roof is funny; it’s damn annoying after 10 or 20 times. Perhaps they need to dig up that Austin Powers, “YEEAAAH BABY!!!” clip again! I’ve only heard that one 432543543544354354 times at sporting events. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-god-bless-america-at-baseball-games-lame/268947/26 "2004-10-13T15:22:05Z")
I’m with the OP on this one. I am so sick of patriotism being shoved down my throat since Sept. 11. The proper day to end the playing of God Bless America was Sept 12 2002. I don’t think our minor league team here plays it. Besides, the 7th inning strech is usually when they cut off beer sales, so I have more important things to do. And, no, watching 50 year old heterosexuals celebrate with the YMCA isn’t my idea of a good time either. ---
**Author:** ![Brainiac4](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brainiac4/32/3534_2.png) [@Brainiac4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brainiac4)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2004, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-god-bless-america-at-baseball-games-lame/268947/27 "2004-10-13T23:39:21Z")
If you get God Bless America, consider yourself lucky. At Twins games, we get the Jingoist National Anthem of “God Bless the USA” by Lee Fucking Greenwood in the 7th inning of _every game_. “At least I know I’m free” – since when is that an “at least” statement, you rat bastard? Why do you make me feel ashamed to be proud of my country? Now I’m mad about it again. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-god-bless-america-at-baseball-games-lame/268947.md?page=1)