The voice of singer Kate Smith is rapidly disappearing from the world of professional sports. The New York Yankees reportedly confirmed Thursday that they were no longer playing Smith’s version of “God Bless America” during the seventh inning of home games, after the team learned of a Depression-era song she’d recorded that raised questions of possible racism. The Philadelphia Flyers followed suit on Friday, distancing themselves from Smith by taking her famed rendition of “God Bless America” out of their playlist and covering a bronze statue of the singer near their arena as they investigate the matter.
Smith and her rendition of “God Bless America” have been most closely associated in the sports world with the Flyers, who had a decades-long stretch of remarkable success in games preceded by her version. She performed it at the team’s former arena, the Spectrum, before the Flyers won the first of their two Stanley Cup titles in 1974.
Two of Smith’s other songs cited by the New York Daily News, which broke the story on Thursday, included “That’s Why Darkies Were Born,” a 1931 hit for Smith, and “Pickaninny Heaven.”
Who are the Yankees brass placating? Who do they think they're placating? Their fans? Hardly. The editorial board of the New York Times? More likely. Believing in nothing themselves they don't hesitate bowing to the arbiters of the "correct" position. What's next to go? Without a doubt Monument Park, because you know Babe Ruth had to be RACISSS.
I go to MLB games all over the country. It is not unusual for me not to see any black fans. We went to a Twins game on Tuesday. The only black person I saw was during the stupid kiss cam segment between innings.
8 comments:
Time for a name change, ask anyone south of the border what they think of Yankees.
Who are the Yankees brass placating? Who do they think they're placating? Their fans? Hardly. The editorial board of the New York Times? More likely. Believing in nothing themselves they don't hesitate bowing to the arbiters of the "correct" position. What's next to go? Without a doubt Monument Park, because you know Babe Ruth had to be RACISSS.
It's not over until the fat lady sings.
RH for the win...
Paul Robeson sang the same song that's gotten Kate in trouble.
ampersand said...
Time for a name change, ask anyone south of the border what they think of Yankees.
Ask anybody west of the Hudson River.
Or south of the Mason-Dixon line.
I go to MLB games all over the country. It is not unusual for me not to see any black fans. We went to a Twins game on Tuesday. The only black person I saw was during the stupid kiss cam segment between innings.
Ask anybody west of the Hudson River.
Or south of the Mason-Dixon line.
Deplorables don't count.
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