Red Sox have no plans to discontinue 'God Bless America' at Fenway, despite official's (tr)

WEEI ^ | 5-15-18 | Alex Reimer

[raccoonradio]

...reported opposition to song

Howard Bryant’s latest long-winded essay about racial division in professional sports contains remarks from an anonymous “high-ranking Red Sox official” about his desire for the team to stop playing "God Bless America" at Fenway Park.

“Recently a high-ranking Red Sox official told me — nearly 17 years after the towers fell — that he really doesn’t know why the team still plays ‘God Bless America,’ but he knows this: The team would ‘get killed’ publicly if it was the first team to stop doing it,” Bryant writes.

Despite the “high-ranking official’s” opposition to “God Bless America,” the Red Sox told WEEI.com in an email the song is here to stay.

“There have been no discussions about discontinuing God Bless America at Fenway Park, which we play on Sundays and holidays,” said club spokeswoman Zineb Curran.

MLB encouraged its teams to play “God Bless America” in the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks, when the Padres first used the song during the seventh-inning stretch. Since then, every team has adopted the patriotic jingle as an in-game staple, though many clubs now only play it on Sundays and holidays –– like the Red Sox. The Yankees play it during every home game.

The debate over the appropriateness of patriotic displays at professional sporting events came to a head in 2015, when it was revealed the Pentagon paid at least 50 teams for ceremonies that honor American soldiers. Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake from Arizona, both Republicans, called on teams to donate the money instead.

Author Sheryl Kaskowitz, who wrote a book on the origins of “God Bless America,” found in a 2013 poll that 61 percent of baseball fans don’t want the song played at games anymore.

[bankwalker]

It didn ‘t really work against the Islanders.

That is because the Islanders turned into the Flyers one night ... the night that Clark Gillies kicked the snot outta Dave Shultz.

[Starboard]

I have three letter for MLB: NFL.

***************

MLB is already far more PC than the NFL. You can’t watch a single game without being reminded about some type of cause being advocated by a team or player.

[Starboard]

Good catch. One rigged poll in 2013.

[Dont tread and Live]

Not to be unexpected, Boston totally sucks and always will. And yes I am Yankee fan.

[Mouton]

So am I! Had the honor of attending the last game that Joe Dimaggio played in Yankee Stadium with my dad.

[raccoonradio]

MLB player who took a knee during national anthem: 1

NFL players who took a knee: hundreds

[LRoggy]

As a die-hard long time Islander fan I can certainly confirm it worked in Game 7 in 1975

[PallMal]

Actually, the first time "God Bless America" was tried against the Islander's it did work, during the 1975 playoffs.

The Islander's came back from a 3-0 game deficit, but lost game 7 in Philadelphia.

[PallMal]

Yep, I remember it well. That was the same playoff year where the Islanders came back from a 3-0 game deficit against the Penguins and won game 7.

Then they almost accomplished the very same feat in the next series against the Flyers, but lost game 7.

[Fiji Hill]

In my opinion, the first performance of God Bless America is still the best.

[Starboard]

That is true, but I think you missed my point which was that MLB is more PC than the NFL. The NFL players were engaged in protesting a patriotic display; MLB is becoming ever more engaged in promoting favored PC causes and events. There's clearly a difference between the two, however there is a bit of a common thread which is players using their association with the game to push their beliefs.