Wish my team here in Boston would do something like this. Gotta be better than Sweet Caroline every single game.
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Baltimore also has a special relationship with the Star Spangled Banner, which, as is well known, was composed in its harbor during the War of 1812. The Baltimore tradition of shouting "O" at the start of the penultimate verse is a way of expressing that special relationship, and this probably means that the city would not react positively to expressions of disdain for the anthem.
2
I remember the first time hearing "This Land..." at Camden Yards. Such a nice alternative to the Forced Patriotism we've had since 9/11. Which introduces another point: the ballpark will always be called Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Not some corporate product placement, like Old Bay Stadium. Nope, we're humble folk at the Yard. And talk about civic pride! Watch Adam Jones twice pat the Baltimore patch on his left shoulder after he hits the go-ahead homer today!
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Let's hope they don't add Alice's Restaurant to the 7th inning mix.
Seriously, what a thoughtful and inspired choice of a song! Thank you, John Angelos, for reminding us all of the legacy that Arlo's dad gave to "you and me "
Seriously, what a thoughtful and inspired choice of a song! Thank you, John Angelos, for reminding us all of the legacy that Arlo's dad gave to "you and me "
7
I was raised in Baltimore and never liked the city, but this while it will not make me change my mind about the cityu in general certainly makes me appreciate the Orioles' management and fans.
This land is our land, all of ours. Thanks for letting the rest of America know
This land is our land, all of ours. Thanks for letting the rest of America know
3
Fascinating!!! I had no idea that Woodie Guthrie was responding to God Bless America when he wrote This Land. I was excited to find John Shaw's book available from Amazon.com. (with apologies). It seems so odd to me that we are exclusively using that patriotic song from World War II to boost our pride - was that the last time we felt good about being Americans?
Wow - This is Great! The Orioles are now my second favorite team. So glad to hear that a sports team has finally put in place a song that speaks to what makes the United States truly unique in the world. I hope no one says we have to stand up.
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My wife and I always thought that this would be the perfect alternative to the caterwauling Kate Smith version of "God Bless America". There was a time when GBA was being played at Yankees games, ushers, security and police would virtually force fans to stand for both songs, even going as far as extending chains across aisles to stop them until 2009 when a fan sued them for preventing him from going to the bathroom in the middle of the seventh inning. It is also worth noting that last year, the Department of Defense paid nearly $7 million of its taxpayer dollars to sports teams to honor the military at games until Republican senators John McCain and Jeff Flake (both of Arizona) attached an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act preventing them from doing so in 2016.
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Impressive! Keep it up. Funnily, I know a lot about the song and its history but next to nothing about the Orioles.
3
Great to read! Woody was one of my college heroes. As a New Yorker, whose sports teams include one team that plays in a field named after a bank, and another whose owner is a major supporter of Donald J. Dumpster, I'm envious of fans in Baltimore. However, that said, if the Mets and the Orioles meet in the World Series, I won't be rooting for the Orioles.
5
As an O's fan who hasn't attended any Friday night games this season I was pleasantly suprised to read this article.
I have long despised being asked to stand for God Bless America, and never understood why we needed a religious song during the 7th inning stretch.
Great for Angelos mixing it up. Still three songs for the 7th inning stretch in Bmore (this land, Take me out the the Ballgame, Thank God I'm a Country boy) is a bit much
I have long despised being asked to stand for God Bless America, and never understood why we needed a religious song during the 7th inning stretch.
Great for Angelos mixing it up. Still three songs for the 7th inning stretch in Bmore (this land, Take me out the the Ballgame, Thank God I'm a Country boy) is a bit much
4
Kudos to Mr. Angelos and the Baltimore Orioles organization.
3
The Yankees front office should be paying attention, but I doubt they are. As Gersh Kuntzman argued convincingly in The Daily News back in July, the time has come to end the compulsory mid-game demonstration of "patriotism" at every single Yankees home game.
5
This just made me, growing up as a Yankees/Mets fan-- an Orioles booster this playoff season.
3
One more reason why I love my adopted hometown and will never, ever leave it.
1
Congrats to the Orioles for clear thinking. The Yankee Stadium ritual has long since lost its meaning, and its unending repetition through 15 years actually encourages many fans to ignore it or simply use the time for a bathroom break. Time to find other ways to 'honor America' in the Bronx.
6
Thank you Orioles!
It is so obnoxious to hear that "god bless America" treacle at every baseball game.
It is so obnoxious to hear that "god bless America" treacle at every baseball game.
4
I don't think I've ever been so proud to be from Baltimore, and an Orioles fan. Considering how over reactive the Far Right can be, this took guts. I've been sitting through God Bless America, or turning the sound down when I'm listening to the game at home, for years. I love my country but that song excludes a lot of people--good Americans all. My hope is that this is a turning point, one of the many that this country needs, that millions of its citizens have been waiting for. If the Orioles offer a Fridays Only season ticket package, I'm buying it.
7
At the end of a week in baseball marked by sadness, but also perspective, by the humanity and wisdom of owners, by the sincerity and spontaneity of small gestures by players, let baseball be our national pastime again, and let this be our song.
3
As a close relative of a decorated combat veteran, and as a fervent believer in what makes America exceptionally great, nothing bothers me more than people showing up to a stadium to watch a jet or four fly over, sing God Bless America, reflect on how great they are for appreciating the sacrifices of our service men and women, and then promptly forgetting all about them to watch baseball or football. All the while, as they drink beer and munch garbage stadium food, the best of our youth get shot at.
If you want to appreciate our heroes, skip the damp-eyed rendition of God Bless America and vote for people who will value them, and lead them well. Do something that matters for them, the way they do what matters for you.
If you want to appreciate our heroes, skip the damp-eyed rendition of God Bless America and vote for people who will value them, and lead them well. Do something that matters for them, the way they do what matters for you.
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Wo. Wait a second. The middle of the seventh? I thought that was dedicated to peanuts and cracker jacks.
1
This makes me very proud to be a native Baltimorean and life-long Oriole fan. Even though this new tradition antedates the current presidential campaign, they could not have chosen a better counter-statement to the retro-tribalism and false Americanism that Donald Trump has ridden with such alarming success.
4
How wonderful to learn this! Thank you, Angelos family, for this appreciation of criticism as a form of love of country, and thank you, NYT, for giving us this story. Irving Berlin and Woody Guthrie make for a mutually enhancing counterpoint at the heart of our beloved national pastime.
1
As an Orioles season ticket holder, this makes me incredibly proud. #LetsGoOs
2
As an O's fan and employee it does my heart good to know that John Angelos is willing and able to take the stands that he has. Hoping that soon we'll be able to hear "This Land..." broadcast to a national audience!
4
What song, if any, besides Take Me Out to the Ball Game, do the Toronto Blue Jays play during the 7th inning stretch?
1
Way to go O's for playing TLIYL and Peter Angelos for supporting
Colin K. I plan on sitting for GBA next time I am at my Citi Field, the stadium
my tax dollars helped build.
Colin K. I plan on sitting for GBA next time I am at my Citi Field, the stadium
my tax dollars helped build.
2
What a classy organization! With all the political rancor and hate mongering going on, the Orioles set an example of where we should be as a nation. I have become a Baltimore Orioles fan!!
2
This is a breath of fresh air - being positive and not acting out of fear.
I salute the Orioles management for this gesture and for the great work they are doing in the community.
Growing up in Baltimore, I loved the Orioles, but I moved before Camden Yards opened. I got to go to a game last summer, and it was a great experience.
I hope the orioles go all the way this year.
I salute the Orioles management for this gesture and for the great work they are doing in the community.
Growing up in Baltimore, I loved the Orioles, but I moved before Camden Yards opened. I got to go to a game last summer, and it was a great experience.
I hope the orioles go all the way this year.
1
I think it's great that the Orioles play this Guthrie song, which has so much more meaning than many of the patriotic songs we constantly hear...."bombs bursting in air"....is that what we want to hear? Thank you, Mr. Angelos for your courage.
2
I love "This Land is Your Land" by Woody Guthrie and I'm so glad to know the Orioles use it at some of their games. I love all the verses, including the lesser heard ones like the following:
"There was a big high wall there that tried to stop me;
Sign was painted, it said private property;
But on the back side it didn't say nothing;
This land was made for you and me."
"There was a big high wall there that tried to stop me;
Sign was painted, it said private property;
But on the back side it didn't say nothing;
This land was made for you and me."
1
Orioles fans singing along to "This Land is your Land" is truly a lovely sentiment, although as life long fan of the BoSox, I'm partial to "Sweet Caroline"!
Great song, great idea, great tradition!
1
I'm a devoted Yankee fan but applaud the Orioles for showing that there's more than one way to express pride in our country and all that it is and could/ should be.
1
Bravo, Baltimore.
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Good for Orioles and the Angelos family, and thanks to the NY Times for "news fit to print".
There are many ways to express love of this country, through a song or protesting it. I don't have any problem with patriotism, or even uniting with sports, except when that patriotism is exploited by demagogue politicians to take us to war (ex.: Iraq in 2003). Regarding Kaepernick, to quote John Adams, "I Disapprove of What You Say, But I Will Defend to the Death Your Right to Say It".
There are many ways to express love of this country, through a song or protesting it. I don't have any problem with patriotism, or even uniting with sports, except when that patriotism is exploited by demagogue politicians to take us to war (ex.: Iraq in 2003). Regarding Kaepernick, to quote John Adams, "I Disapprove of What You Say, But I Will Defend to the Death Your Right to Say It".
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Wow! Thank you Orioles. I have thought for most of my life that "This Land is Your Land" should be the national anthem. We particularly need to hear it now in this age of 'by, for and of' the corporation, banks and billionaires.
I am now an Orioles fan.
I am now an Orioles fan.
57
I love this. God Bless America after 9/11 bothered me because of the terrible way we lashed out after that attack. If we were blessed we would have had the wisdom to stop those wars before they started and respect the human rights this country was founded on. To me, in 2016, God Bless America is extremely dated. Though devoid of the context of 9/11 and Yankee Stadium, to me it is a very beautiful song.
14
What a breath of fresh air Mr. Angelos bring to the conformity of professional sports!
It's almost enough to make me an Orioles' fan.
It's almost enough to make me an Orioles' fan.
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Go Orioles!
Guess I know whom I'm rooting for in th A.L.
They should see if Springsteen would sing it for them in the playoffs if they have a Friday game.
I find it really upsetting that I am "expected" to stand for not only a patriotic but also a religious song when I go to a Sunday ballgame.
Guess I know whom I'm rooting for in th A.L.
They should see if Springsteen would sing it for them in the playoffs if they have a Friday game.
I find it really upsetting that I am "expected" to stand for not only a patriotic but also a religious song when I go to a Sunday ballgame.
43
I totally hear you. I decided not to renew my Season Tickets at Nationals Park, and in fact, have stopped going to games completely, because way took much time and effort were being spent trying to get me to engage in public support for the military and religion. From this Baby Boomer's '60s perspective, both of these have an ugly history of showing contempt, and giving the finger to the American people by actions consistently designed to protect the institutions involved at the expense of truth, veracity, and accountability. A thoughtful argument can be made about the validity of showing support for both, But such support should be given only thoughtfully and willingly, rather than riding on the emotional coattails of a captive audience at a ballgame.
Since when is one required to "honor" America, show support for military engagements one may consider to be misguided, and be called upon to publicly affirm the existence of a Creator in order Togo to a baseball game or any other athletic event? is our public life in America so paltry that we need to hijack these events in order to strengthen and preserve the status quo of authority? Authority which is hostile to criticism and accountability while enjoying tremendous privileges?
in my house we are not allowed to discuss politics or religion when there are guests present for good reason. So why should we have politics and religion shoved down our throats when we are guests at sporting events?
Since when is one required to "honor" America, show support for military engagements one may consider to be misguided, and be called upon to publicly affirm the existence of a Creator in order Togo to a baseball game or any other athletic event? is our public life in America so paltry that we need to hijack these events in order to strengthen and preserve the status quo of authority? Authority which is hostile to criticism and accountability while enjoying tremendous privileges?
in my house we are not allowed to discuss politics or religion when there are guests present for good reason. So why should we have politics and religion shoved down our throats when we are guests at sporting events?
1
This whole business has gotten out of hand. I have a simple solution: play John Fogerty's "Center Field" during the seventh inning stretch.
Appropriate as Guthrie wrote TLIYL in response to GBA.
However, I wonder if the Orioles include the leftest verse about the sign saying no trespassing. You sure aren't going to get into the park if, as another Guthrie song goes, "you ain't got the dough-re-me."
However, I wonder if the Orioles include the leftest verse about the sign saying no trespassing. You sure aren't going to get into the park if, as another Guthrie song goes, "you ain't got the dough-re-me."
12
It maybe true that you have to pay (as you do for most things in life) but Orioles games are hardly expensive. I am pretty sure you can get into the game for under $15 almost every night. Movies are around that price now.
Good for the O's! This Yankee fan can't stand the sound of Kate Smith screeching like a banshee.
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