Every American sporting event begins with the playing of the national anthem.
Unfortunately this isn’t without controversy.
And what happened during the national anthem will leave you red with rage.
Worst national anthem rendition ever
Major League Baseball’s Home Run Derby competition is a tentpole event.
Held the day before the All-Star Game, millions of fans tune in to watch the best sluggers in the game launch long balls to see who is the top dog.
Other than the NBA’s slam dunk competition, Home Run Derby is the most celebrated skills competition of any of the four major sports All-Star weekend festivities.
But this year the headlines weren’t about the Los Angeles Dodgers Teoscar Hernandez becoming the first Dodger ever to win the contest when he beat the Kansas City Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. 14-13 in the final round.
No.
What went viral was the abomination of a performance of the national anthem by four-time Grammy nominated artist Ingrid Andress.
The national anthem ahead of the 2024 Home Run Derby on ESPN by four-time Grammy-nominated artist Ingrid Andress was interesting, to say the least… pic.twitter.com/p3HkV9Vcvg
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) July 16, 2024
Past awful national anthem renditions
The performance called to mind Olympic Gold Medalist Carl Lewis embarrassing himself by singing the Star Spangled Banner before an NBA game.
SportsCenter anchor Charley Steiner created a moment for the ages when he narrated the highlight by not being able to contain his laughter and suggesting that the song was written by “Francis Scott Off-Key.”
That anthem brings to mind an all-time Charley Steiner moment, coming out of the Carl Lewis national anthem in the 1990s: “Written by Francis Scott ‘Off’ Key” pic.twitter.com/OGgZ4BlNg3
— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) July 16, 2024
In 2018, Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas turned in a dreadful performance of the anthem at the 2018 NBA All Star Game.
Fergie later apologized for how awful her rendition was.
“I’m a risk-taker artistically, but clearly this rendition didn’t strike the intended tone,” Fergie stated.
“I love this country and honestly tried my best,” Fergie added.
Singer Christina Aguilera forgot the words to the anthem when she performed them at Super Bowl 45.
Performing the national anthem is a great honor.
It’s a song that all patriotic Americans take pride in.
It also has simple, but powerful lyrics, and isn’t difficult to perform.
That’s why national anthem botches stand out.
