# The 7th Inning Stretch is dumb **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [June 25, 2016, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282 "2016-06-25T00:59:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282/41 "2016-06-29T12:08:14Z")
Back in the day attending a Tigers game guaranteed you a 30,000+ singalong of ‘ **Thank God I’m a Country Boy** ’. > [@](#): > > My Daddy taught me young how to hunt and how to whittle, > he taught me how to work and play a tune on the fiddle. > He taught me how to love and how to give just a little, > thank God I’m a country boy. Yep, sounds like a typical growing-up-in-Detroit experience. mmm ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282/42 "2016-06-29T12:30:17Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Nope, I’ve sung it in the Episcopal church on July 4. There’s a special service sheet so I’m not sure if it’s in the 1982 Hymnal or not. Several such patriotic songs are in the 1978 Lutheran Book of Worship. As I don’t go to church very often these days, I don’t know what’s in the new 2006 Evangelical Lutheran Worship. So there’s another data point. I don’t understand this hatred to fouling off pitches. A hitter working a nine or ten pitch at bat has done a lot (all situation dependent, of course) to help his team by working up the pitcher’s pitch count. The starter’s not going to last very long if you can make him throw twenty or thirty pitches an inning. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282/43 "2016-06-29T22:00:51Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > I don’t understand this hatred to fouling off pitches. A hitter working a nine or ten pitch at bat has done a lot (all situation dependent, of course) to help his team by working up the pitcher’s pitch count. The starter’s not going to last very long if you can make him throw twenty or thirty pitches an inning. That obvious tactical importance notwithstanding, I’ll betcha it’s still trying on most fans’ patience. Ken Rosenthal needs to find another (less douchey) way to recognize charities with the fucking bow-tie, and accordingly get fined $50,000 every time he transgresses with that. (Yeah yeah - nothing to do with the 7th inning, but since others are coming up with modifications…) ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282/44 "2016-06-29T23:50:58Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > don’t understand this hatred to fouling off pitches. A hitter working a nine or ten pitch at bat has done a lot (all situation dependent, of course) to help his team by working up the pitcher’s pitch count. The starter’s not going to last very long if you can make him throw twenty or thirty pitches an inning. And it builds the drama of the game-within-the-game, the batter-versus-pitcher matchup! I love long PAs. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282/45 "2016-06-30T02:23:32Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Fair enough, but what do they sing at Expo games? “The Sound of Silence,” maybe? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282/46 "2016-06-30T02:29:06Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > Back in the day attending a Tigers game guaranteed you a 30,000+ singalong of ‘ **Thank God I’m a Country Boy** ’. This occurred at an Orioles game I attended earlier this year. As most of my understanding of Baltimore is from The Wire, I was unclear on the connection. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282/47 "2016-06-30T03:10:24Z")
“Thank God I’m a Country Boy” is an Orioles tradition going way back, long before the current ballpark, since it was introduced as a [current pop hit](http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1997-10-14/features/1997287024_1_orioles-dugout-country-boy-fans). ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282/48 "2016-06-30T09:58:21Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > “Thank God I’m a Country Boy” is an Orioles tradition going way back, long before the current ballpark, since it was introduced as a [current pop hit](http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1997-10-14/features/1997287024_1_orioles-dugout-country-boy-fans). My exhaustive research indicates that the Orioles have been playing ‘Country Boy’ since 1983, 8 years after it was released. Looks like the Tigers started using it a year later. mmm ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282/49 "2016-06-30T13:52:05Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > And it builds the drama of the game-within-the-game, the batter-versus-pitcher matchup! I love long PAs. Yup, there is an incredibly subtle game going on that a lot of people are missing. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282/50 "2016-06-30T15:47:31Z")
I can’t believe I made it to… my current age… not knowing that the “seventh-inning stretch” refers to physical stretching. I’ve always assumed it meant they were entering the final stretch of the game. Fact for the day learned. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2016, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282/51 "2016-06-30T16:03:22Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > My exhaustive research indicates that the Orioles have been playing ‘Country Boy’ since 1983, 8 years after it was released. Looks like the Tigers started using it a year later. > mmm No. The Orioles started using the song late in the 1975 season. My previous cite mentioned this, perhaps a bit obliquely, but [here’s another](https://www.pressboxonline.com/story/2189/baltimore-s-seventh-inning-tradition-within-a-tradition). ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282/52 "2016-07-01T14:57:36Z")
[Major League Baseball must permanently retire ‘God Bless America,’ a song that offends everyone](http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/major-league-baseball-permanently-retire-god-bless-america-article-1.2693228?utm_content=bufferad61c&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer) Ok which one of you is Gersh Kuntzman? I would accuse our resident NY Daily News subscriber but he ain’t even in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282/53 "2016-07-01T20:58:21Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > No. The Orioles started using the song late in the 1975 season. My previous cite mentioned this, perhaps a bit obliquely, but [here’s another](https://www.pressboxonline.com/story/2189/baltimore-s-seventh-inning-tradition-within-a-tradition). Yep, you’re right. The Orioles have been playing it much longer. You win. Sorta 🙂 mmm ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2016, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282/54 "2016-07-05T16:37:01Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > [Major League Baseball must permanently retire ‘God Bless America,’ a song that offends everyone](http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/major-league-baseball-permanently-retire-god-bless-america-article-1.2693228?utm_content=bufferad61c&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer) > > Ok which one of you is Gersh Kuntzman? I would accuse our resident NY Daily News subscriber but he ain’t even in this thread. > [@Gersh Kuntzman](#): > > Reality check, friends: “God Bless America” is not the National Anthem. The only songs Americans should stand for are “The Star Spangled Banner” and “Here Comes the Bride.” It isn’t [me](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17409206&postcount=20). I don’t think it’s [Frank](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=626992), either. But it could be… ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2016, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282/55 "2016-07-05T17:37:16Z")
People have been saying that at least since April 2002. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2016, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282/56 "2016-07-05T19:30:45Z")
It should have ended Sept 11 2002. But now, no team wants to be the first to be the first to eliminate it and deal with the outrage from some right wing group or sports talk radio announcer. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2016, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282/57 "2016-07-05T22:16:10Z")
Well, I don’t think anybody but the Yankees plays it at every game any more, do they? The Orioles do it only on Sundays. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282/58 "2016-07-06T02:17:57Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > People have been saying that at least since April 2002. It’s like the weather. Everyone talks about it, but no one does anything about it. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282/59 "2016-07-06T15:37:08Z")
> [@DKW](#): > > Oh, and as for the stretch, could someone explain to me that in over a century and a quarter of history, there’s only _one_ commonly known and used baseball song? Should be a dozen, at least. At Blue Jays games you sing both “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” and “OK Blue Jays.” So maybe there are such songs but they’re just regional. I don’t mind it, it’s kinda fun and in Toronto we don’t do the “God Bless America” thing. Singing the anthems before the game is still a thing and I’d be happy to see that go. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282/60 "2016-07-06T16:04:15Z")
As far as I know, “Sweet Caroline” is only a Red Sox thing, and is played in the eighth inning, not the seventh. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-7th-inning-stretch-is-dumb/758282.md?page=4)