ddw@cornell.UUCP (07/08/83)
From: ddw (David Wright)
To: net-misc
Does anyone else out there agree with me that it cheapens the National Anthem
to sing it at every damn sporting event we attend? I seem to recall reading
somewhere that many years ago, it was only sung at pro baseball games on
opening day and at the World Series. At some point, they began using it
at every game, and I don't think there's anything above local Kiwanis games
where you won't find it (not to mention all football, basketball and
probably jai-lai events by now!) This sort of excessive use is bound to
reduce impact eventually, or so it seems to me. Anyone else agree?
David Wright
{vax135|decvax|ihnss}!cornell!ddw
ddw.cornell@udel-relay
ddw@cornellparnass@ihuxf.UUCP (07/08/83)
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Does anyone else out there agree with me that it cheapens
the National Anthem to sing it at every damn sporting event
we attend? I seem to recall reading somewhere that many
years ago, it was only sung at pro baseball games on opening
day and at the World Series. At some point, they began
using it at every game, and I don't think there's anything
above local Kiwanis games where you won't find it (not to
mention all football, basketball and probably jai-lai events
by now!) This sort of excessive use is bound to reduce
impact eventually, or so it seems to me. Anyone else agree?
------------------
The national anthem is for all Americans. It's
not something that can be "worn out" by overuse.
Robert S. Parnass
Bell Laboratories
Naperville, Illinois
ihnp4!ihuxf!parnasstommyo@ihuxw.UUCP (07/08/83)
I personally don`t mind having the anthem played at sporting events. I even sing along, though it`s not the easiest song in the world to sing. What`s wrong with a little patriotism every once in a while? Having it played all the time doesn`t cheapen it at all, it keeps it in our minds. Some places do use other songs, like "America the Beautiful", every once in a while. And didn`t the Phildelphia Flyers used to play a tape of Kate Smith singing "God Bless America" before their home games - they may still do that. Which brings me to an interesting question. Does anyone know how this tradition began? That would be interesting to know. Red, white and blue-ly Tom O`Connor ihuxw!tommyo
rcj@burl.UUCP (07/10/83)
The phrase "familiarity breeds contempt" comes to mind. I definitely agree that it weakens the old "swelling of the chest" feeling caused by the National Anthem to hear it at every sporting event. -- The MAD Programmer -- 919-228-3814 (Cornet 291) alias: Curtis Jackson ...![ floyd sb1 mhuxv ]!burl!rcj
rh@mit-eddie.UUCP (Randy Haskins) (07/11/83)
I'm not a flaming patriot, and I probably wouldn't even be willing to die for my country, but I never get tired of hearing the National Anthem. -- Randwulf (Randy Haskins) genrad!mit-eddie!rh or... rh@mit-ee (via mit-mc)
padpowell@wateng.UUCP (PAD Powell[Admin]) (07/15/83)
Gee, I kinda like the international games in Canada. First they play the
visiting teams national anthem. Then the home teams. There are always
a million strong and powerfull voices at the start, and then the loudspeaker
at the end. Sort of like in the old Hockey Night in Canada, with the
"Rockets Read Blare"
Patrick ("I have to use a crib sheet for the French Version of Oh, Canada")
Powelldeath@yale-com.UUCP (Doctor Death) (07/15/83)
Last year at the Yale/Dartmouth game ( i think ) we were graced with the ABC television crew covering our wonderful game. We received from ABC-On-High the command that we were to play the national anthem early, at 12:00 instead of 12:30 when coverage started (sorry, "we" being the Yale marching band). I was extremely annoyed at ABC's attitude (among other things), but especially about the way they made us play the anthem so early. Now, I don't particularly care whether we play the Star Spangled Bananna or not, it's usually just a nuisance anyway, but I think we either should have played it at the right time or not at all. Either the Bananna is an integral part of the sporting event, in which case it deserves hearing, or it's dull and time-consuming and silly and should be eliminated. A number of articles so far have suggested that "a little patriotism is good for us" but perhaps playing the national anthem at sporting events in effect "sanctifies" the event by invoking patriotic blessings. ESPECIALLY at Ivy League events, for pete's sake. God, you can barely call them sports, sometimes, and besides everyone's usually too trashed to walk by the third quarter anyway, and no one even remembers the first half, much less pseudo-patriotic fooferah before the game even starts. it's hard to sing anyway -=- death -=- announcer & Loud Drum Player, YPMB