July 2, 2026 - Good Morning! It’s Thursday, July 2.
Baseball is “America’s Game”. Well, technically, football makes lots more money - more than twice as much. But there’s just something about baseball. Something about joining your fellow Americans at the ballpark. Something about rising to your feet at the beginning of a game and singing the National Anthem. For most people it’s the only time they sing in a group, with the possible exception of a Sunday morning worship service.
That “Star Spangled Banner” moment is sort of sacred too, sort of spiritual, in a patriotic sort of way. Americans began singing their anthem before baseball games during World War II, in the 1940’s. In the 1990’s I had the opportunity to sing it at a few Texas Rangers games in Arlington. It was an honor.
Just about every country has an anthem, I guess. America didn’t for our first 150 years, which, when you think about it, is kind of surprising. Congress made it official in 1931. Francis Scott Key’s song was already over a century old by then. Did you know he wrote four verses? Nobody ever sings more than the first one. But five words in the fourth verse led to another national “thing”. The phrase “in God be our trust” inspired Congress to make “In God We Trust” our National Motto in 1956. Ever since then it’s been printed on all our money.
Why not take some of your money and take yourself “out to the ballgame” this summer. Maybe go watch the Rangers play in Arlington. And when you hear the notes of that famous introduction, and the crowd rises to its feet - you can sing our song.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
