Iraq 2008 and Red Sox Opening Day 1987

I recently found in my inbox an article, a letter-from-Iraq-type missive, from an army chaplain who talked about the goings-on during a recent movie night at LSA Anaconda. Before the showing of Superman 3 [can’t they get them more recent movies?], as is the custom, the soldiers stood at attention while a recording of the national anthem played. The recording got stuck and stopped halfway through. The soldiers remained at attention and the recording was restarted, and again it stopped. Instead of giving up and sitting down for the movie, the soldiers finished the song, 1,000 voices strong, and then sat down.

The chaplain writing this wanted people to know how moved he was by the integrity of the men and women serving overseas. It’s a nice story, but in the telling he speculates, somewhat sanctimoniously, on what would have happened if this had occurred here in the States. He writes: “I imagine there would be hoots, catcalls, laughter, a few rude comments; and everyone would sit down and call for a movie. Of course, that is, if they had stood for the National Anthem in the first place.” I’m not so sure.

Sherman, set the way-back machine to a brilliantly sunny April day in 1987—the opening day Red Sox game. This was the year after they won the AL pennant, which back then when the curse was in full force was more than anyone could have dared to expect, so even though that’s as far as they went, they were champions to us. (Well, all except Buckner, maybe, but time heals all wounds, or at least puts them in perspective. But I digress.) In addition to being naive in our expectations and not having an all-or-nothing view of success (well, we were just tired of always losing), it was a different time. This was in the glory days of the ‘80s, before the Republicans co-opted the flag and when a “patriot” act may have actually had something to do with patriotism.

Anyway, they had a big pregame ceremony, and, since they were playing Toronto, after they had everyone on the field and gave out rings and had speeches, a woman, I forget who, took the microphone on the field and everyone stood for the singing of the Canadian national anthem with the words rolling by on the scoreboard. Everyone clapped, and she walked away. Then there was an extended silence. Everyone looked around, the players on the field were all uncomfortable and didn’t know what to do; they were shuffling their feet and joking with each other. Finally, they got the signal and all walked off the field, and it looked like the game was about to start.

Well, those in the stands would have no part of it. The people around me were all in disbelief, “They forgot!” was the common assumption. It started with pockets of people here and there, but pretty soon, everyone was on their feet singing the national anthem. Without music, a singer, or words to prompt them. When the singing stopped, an announcement flashed on the scoreboard. It turned out that the singer for the American national anthem had been stuck in traffic. A decision apparently was made that no one would notice if, rather than admit that their well-thought out program had hit a snag, they just skipped it and started the game.

They were wrong.

[A note on the photos: Yes, that's me, is all I can say is that it was the 80s, curling irons were in. Although I showed more restraint than the guy in front of me, who I shouldn't dis since he and his friends were responsible for taking the pictures.]