Editing God Bless America (section)

==Notable public performances==
[[Image:Pentagon Memorial dedication 2008 Crowd.jpg|thumb|Singing "God Bless America" at [[the Pentagon]] [[Pentagon Memorial|memorial]] dedication, September 11, 2008]]
In 1940, "God Bless America" was the official campaign song for both President [[Franklin Delano Roosevelt]] and his Republican opponent, [[Wendell Willkie]]. At that time, the song represented cultural and [[religious tolerance]].<ref name="Kaskowitz">{{cite news|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/culturebox/2013/07/_god_bless_america_and_republicans_how_the_song_became_an_anthem_of_conservatives.single.html|title="God Bless America" and Republicans: How the song became an anthem of conservatives and the Christian right|last=Kaskowitz|first=Sheryl|date=July 4, 2013|work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|access-date=July 7, 2013}}</ref>

[[Irving Berlin]] personally performed the song on ''[[The Ed Sullivan Show]]'' on May 5, 1968, during an episode dedicated to him in honor of his 80th birthday.<ref name="The Ed Sullivan Show">{{cite news |url= https://www.edsullivan.com/irving-berlin-on-the-ed-sullivan-show-god-bless-america/|title=Irving Berlin on The Ed Sullivan Show – God Bless America|date=July 4, 2012|work=[[The Ed Sullivan Show (blog)]]|access-date=March 22, 2022}}</ref>

During a live television broadcast on the evening of the [[September 11 attacks|September 11 terrorist attacks]] in 2001, following addresses by then House and Senate leaders, Speaker [[Dennis Hastert]] (Republican) and [[Tom Daschle]] (Democrat), members of the [[United States Congress]] broke out into an apparently spontaneous verse of "God Bless America" on the steps of the [[United States Capitol|Capitol building]] in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Congress vows unity, reprisals for attacks |first=Jonathan |last=Karl |publisher=CNN |date=September 12, 2001 |url=http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/09/11/congress.terrorism/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106020356/http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/09/11/congress.terrorism/ |archive-date=January 6, 2010 }}</ref>

On July 21, 2011, Smith's version of the song was played as [[NASA]]'s final wakeup call for [[Space Shuttle Atlantis|Space Shuttle ''Atlantis'']] (STS-135), capping the 30-year [[Space Shuttle]] program.

===Sports events===
====National Hockey League====
"God Bless America" has been performed at home games of the [[National Hockey League]]'s [[Philadelphia Flyers]] and those of the [[Ottawa Senators]] in which the visiting team is from the United States. (The NHL requires arenas in both the U.S. and Canada to perform both "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]" and "[[O Canada]]," the Canadian national anthem, at games that involve teams from both countries.<ref name="NHL-Anthems">{{cite news|last=Allen|first=Kevin|access-date=October 29, 2008|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/2003-03-23-anthem-booing_x.htm|title=NHL Seeks to Stop Booing For a Song|work=[[USA Today]]|date=March 23, 2003}}</ref>)

At some Flyers' home games, especially during big games and the playoffs, their main anthem singer, [[Lauren Hart]], has sung "God Bless America" alternating lyrics with [[Kate Smith]] on a video screen, until 2019. Smith actually appeared in person to sing at select Flyers games, including their [[1974 Stanley Cup Finals|1974 Stanley Cup]] clinching game against the [[Boston Bruins]], to which she received a thunderous ovation from the passionate Philadelphia fans. Before games whenever "God Bless America" is performed until 2019, [[Lou Nolan]], the PA announcer for the Flyers at the [[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], would say: "Ladies and gentlemen, at this time, we ask that you please rise and remove your hats and salute to our flags and welcome the No. 1 ranked anthemist in the NHL, Our very own Lauren Hart, as she sings (if the visiting team is from Canada, O Canada, followed by) God Bless America, accompanied by the great Kate Smith."<ref>{{YouTube|id=dShN5wTbF_o|title=May 24th, 2010 Anthems sung by Kate Smith & Lauren Hart Canadiens Vs. Flyers HNiC}}</ref>

At some Senators home games since {{NHL Year|2000}},<ref name=OttawaSenators/> if the visiting team is from the U.S., their main anthem singer, [[Ontario Provincial Police]] Constable [[Lyndon Slewidge]], has sung "God Bless America" and "O Canada."<ref name=OttawaSenators>{{cite news|title=Shots From the Point|date=November 4, 2000|newspaper=Ottawa Citizen|page=F3|quote=Renowned anthem singer Lyndon Slewidge also sounds a bit different, with a new background music accompanying his lyrics to O Canada. He will also substitute God Save America for The Star Spangled Banner on selected occasions.}}</ref>  An example of this came during the Senators' home opener during the 2002–03 season, when they were home against the [[New Jersey Devils]].<ref>{{cite AV media|title=New Jersey Devils Hockey: New Jersey Devils at Ottawa Senators|medium=radio|publisher=New Jersey Devils Radio WABC Talk Radio 77 AM (New York)|date=October 10, 2002}}</ref>

During [[Tom Golisano]]'s time as owner of the [[Buffalo Sabres]], the team occasionally substituted "God Bless America" for "The Star-Spangled Banner" during certain special events. When this occurred, [[Ronan Tynan]] was brought in to sing the song while usual anthem singer Doug Allen sang "O Canada."

====Major League Baseball====
At Chicago's [[Wrigley Field]] during the [[Vietnam War]], the song was often played by the organist as part of his postgame playlist while fans filed out of the stadium.<ref>{{cite web| title = Monday's act heroic after 30 years Outfielder recalls protecting country's honor from protesters| publisher = Major League Baseball| date = April 25, 2006| url = http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060424&content_id=1415977&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc| access-date = April 25, 2006| archive-date = February 4, 2007| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070204001843/http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060424&content_id=1415977&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc| url-status = dead}}</ref>

Since the [[September 11 attacks|September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks]], "God Bless America" is commonly sung during the [[seventh-inning stretch]] in [[Major League Baseball]] games, most often on Sundays,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/story/15425330/god-bless-america-and-baseball-10-years-later|title="God Bless America" and baseball, 10 years later|date=August 11, 2011|publisher=CBSSports.com}}</ref> [[Opening Day]],<ref name="atlanta.braves.mlb.com">{{cite web|url=http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20080325&content_id=2456889&vkey=pr_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl|title=Atlanta Braves celebrate Opening Night at Turner Field on Monday, March 31|work=Atlanta Braves|access-date=June 16, 2012|archive-date=November 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105182432/http://atlanta.braves.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20080325&content_id=2456889&vkey=pr_atl&fext=.jsp&c_id=atl|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Memorial Day]],<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/major-league-baseball-honors-memorial-day-special-caps-rolls-red-carpet-military-gallery-1.1085796?pmSlide=15 | title=MLB Honors Memorial Day|location=New York | work=Daily News}}</ref> [[Independence Day (United States)|Independence Day]], [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]], [[Labor Day]], September 11,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110909&content_id=24435892&vkey=09112011|title=Baseball plans day of remembrance for 9/11|publisher=Major League Baseball}}</ref> and most post-season [[Major League Baseball]] games including the World Series. Following the attacks, John Dever, then the Assistant Media Relations Director of the San Diego Padres, suggested the song replace "[[Take Me Out to the Ball Game]]", the more traditional 7th inning anthem.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://aol.sportingnews.com/mlb/feed/2011-09/remembering-911/story/god-bless-america-and-baseball-10-years-after-911 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130203054927/http://aol.sportingnews.com/mlb/feed/2011-09/remembering-911/story/god-bless-america-and-baseball-10-years-after-911 |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 3, 2013 |title=God Bless America and Baseball 10 Years After 9/11 |work=Sporting News |date=September 2011}}</ref> Major League Baseball quickly followed the Padres lead and instituted it league-wide for the rest of the season. Presently, teams decide individually when to play the song.

The [[New York Yankees]], at [[Yankee Stadium]] home games,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web.yesnetwork.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090707&content_id=5741456&vkey=4&oid=36019|title=NY baseball fan settles 'God Bless America' suit|publisher=yesnetwork.com}}</ref> is currently the only Major League club to play "God Bless America" at every game during the seventh-inning stretch. The Yankees' [[YES Network]] televises its performance during all games before going to a commercial. During major games, such as Opening Day, national holidays, playoff contests, or games against the [[Boston Red Sox]] or [[New York Mets]], the Yankees will often have Irish tenor [[Ronan Tynan]] perform the song.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nesn.com/2010/03/exyankees-god-bless-america-singer-ronan-tynan-moves-to-boston.html|title=Ex-Yankees 'God Bless America' Singer Ronan Tynan Moves to Boston - Boston Red Sox |date=March 6, 2010 |publisher=NESN.com}}</ref>

On August 26, 2008, at a [[Boston Red Sox]] game at Yankee Stadium, a fan who had attempted to leave for the restroom during the playing of the song was restrained and subsequently sent out of the building by [[NYPD]] officers. Part of the resolution of the resulting lawsuit was that the New York Yankees announced that they would no longer restrict the movement of fans during the playing of the song.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nyclu.org/en/press-releases/yankees-settle-god-bless-america-case-wont-restrict-spectators-movements-during-song|title=Yankees Settle 'God Bless America' Case, Won't Restrict Spectators' Movements During Song|date=July 7, 2009|publisher=nyclu.org|access-date=April 3, 2018}}</ref>

On September 15, 2009, three high school teens filed a lawsuit against New Jersey's minor league [[Newark Bears]] for being ejected from [[Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium|Eagles Riverfront Stadium]] over their refusal to stand during the playing of "God Bless America" on June 29, 2009. Before being ejected, they were asked to leave the stadium by Bears president and co-owner Thomas Cetnar.<ref>{{cite web |title=Teens Sue Over Minor League Ejection |publisher=news.aol.com |date=September 15, 2009 |url=http://news.aol.com/article/new-jersey-teens-sue-over-god-bless/669467 |access-date=September 15, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090923042236/http://news.aol.com/article/new-jersey-teens-sue-over-god-bless/669467 |archive-date=September 23, 2009 }}</ref>

====American football====
At the January 1, 1976, [[1976 Rose Bowl|Rose Bowl]], to honor the start of the [[United States Bicentennial]], [[Kate Smith]] and the [[UCLA Band]] performed "God Bless America" for a national television audience.

During the [[Super Bowl LI halftime show]] a pre-recorded introduction by [[Lady Gaga]], who headlined the show, featured both "God Bless America" and "[[This Land is Your Land]]".

====Indianapolis 500====
The [[Indianapolis 500]] is [[Indianapolis 500 traditions#Other songs|traditionally]] held at the end of May, and "God Bless America" has been sung there since 2003. The song "[[America the Beautiful]]" was sung before, but it was switched to "God Bless America" in the post-9/11 era. The song for many years was performed by [[Florence Henderson]], a native Hoosier, and a friend of the Hulman-George family, the track's owners at the time. The performance, often not televised, immediately precedes the national anthem. Henderson routinely sang the entire song, including the prologue, and in some years sang the chorus a second time.