Advertisement

MLB should retire 'God Bless America,' according to columnist

By Alex Butler
Children wave American flags after singing "God Bless America," before the Atlanta Braves-St. Louis Cardinals baseball game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on August 24, 2013. UPI/Bill Greenblatt
1 of 3 | Children wave American flags after singing "God Bless America," before the Atlanta Braves-St. Louis Cardinals baseball game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on August 24, 2013. UPI/Bill Greenblatt | License Photo

NEW YORK, July 5 (UPI) -- New York Daily News columnist Gersh Kuntzman says it's time to take God out of baseball.

Specifically, "God Bless America."

Advertisement

Kuntzman wrote last week, ahead of Independence Day: "It's time for God to stop blessing America during the seventh-inning stretch."

The columnist continued to say baseball fans were "assaulted by the saccharine-sweet non-anthem."

Major League Baseball told all 30 of its teams to play the song following 9/11. The New York Yankees play the tune every home game for the seventh-inning stretch. The Mets reserve the song for Sundays and holidays.

"Part of my outrage stems from ponderous Mussolini-esque introduction of the song, when fans are asked to rise, remove their caps and place them over their hearts," Kuntzman wrote.

Kuntzman cites polls in his article, proving that baseball fans and the song's fans agree.

According to a poll by Sheryl Kaskowitz, in her book 'God Bless America: The Surprising History of an Iconic Song,' 61 percent of baseball fans don't want to hear it at games. He also says Kaskowitz found that more than 88 percent of atheists didn't like the song and that it also offends "believers" and "foreigners."

Advertisement

The song has recently been banned in schools around the country.

The Daily News apparently has a vendetta against any non-baseball activities performed in the sport's stadium venue. Last month, Brett Bodner wrote an article calling for a ban on the kiss cam, Gatorade baths, mascot races, first pitch, playoff beards, defense chants, marriage proposals, and rushing the court/field.

Latest Headlines