National anthem performance at historic women’s pro baseball game goes viral for all the wrong reasons
The Independent • • sports
Key Points:
- The Women’s Pro Baseball League launched its inaugural season with a game between the New York Heights and Los Angeles Queens, marking the first U.S. women's pro baseball league in nearly 30 years; the Queens won 10-8.
- The league's opening ceremony featured a national anthem performance by 85-year-old Motown singer Martha Reeves, which quickly went viral due to her shaky vocals and difficulty hitting high notes.
- Audience reactions ranged from amusement to sympathy, with social media users commenting on the challenges aging singers face, especially with a demanding song like the “Star-Spangled Banner.”
- Reeves’ performance drew comparisons to other controversial anthem renditions, including Patti LaBelle’s recent criticized MLB All-Star Game performance and Fergie’s 2018 NBA All-Star Game rendition.
- The “Star-Spangled Banner” remains notoriously difficult to perform due to its wide vocal range and challenging melody, often leading to awkward renditions at major sporting events.
