NATIONAL ANTHEM AT "BEIS" PARK HEALED WAR-WEARY U.S.

Special to El Rrun-Rrun


It was in 1918 that the American Flag and the Star-Spangled Banner rejuvenated the spirit of the nation, especially of the average American baseball fan.

The country was still at war and the people lumbered around with a wounded spirit. But something happened at the ballpark that lifted their spirits and changed the face of the nation.

Although the Star-Spangled Banner had been played at a baseball game before – for example, during the Civil War in 1862 – it was until later that “Old Glory” became a tradition at the beginning of games at every ballpark.

The World Series of 1918, pitted Boston vs. Chicago Cubs in Chicago, with the “Bambino” on the
mound for Boston before a subdued crowd that was still feeling the wounds of war when a musical piece changed the mood of the crowd.

It occurred in the 7th inning when a 14-piece naval band struck a chord with the fans as they started playing the Star-Spangled Banner. As the band played on, the crowd started singing along and ended with a thunderous applause.

On that day, the sounds and sights of old glory changed the face of our national spirit and lifted the patriotism of those who were paralyzed by the grief of a protracted conflict which reached into many American homes.

By WW II, the National Anthem had taken hold and was played almost in every major league park — along with the Red, White and Blue, which snatched the attention of all who stood tall in salute of the flag.

The flagpole at Lions Park…

Lions Park was the home of the 1949 Brownsville Charros, who were members of the Rio Grande Valley professional baseball league.

It was one of the most beautiful venues in South Texas. The park was the dream of the Brownsville Lions Club that was conceived in 1942, but because of the WW II, construction came to a  pause until after the conflict.

After that, there was a resurgence to complete the park in 1946. The park became a reality by opening day of the Rio Grande Valley League of 1949. The following year, the park at West St. Francis was adorned with a flagpole. The stories of then reflected the idea that the presence of “Old Glory” would bring a winning tradition to the home team like it did in Harlingen and Corpus Christi when they erected a flagpole at their parks and won league titles.

So, Brownsville figured it would do the same for them. And guess what? It did. They secured the Gulf Coast League title of 1951.

The ballpark: 

Aside from being a breeding ground for patriotism — back, back then, it seemed to many that the flag at the park also brought good luck to the home team.

A historical note…

The first flagpole to be erected at a Brownsville baseball park was in 1911. The pole, for many years carried the colors of the French. When they left the area, they left behind their flagpole that was in front of the Bollack building.

Eventually it was donated to the Brownsville Brownies, who won the Southwest Texas League
Championship of 1910. The pole was placed at the local park, not to fly the American Flag, but to flaunt the pennant won by the Brownies.

This former 1950s East Brownsville little leaguer recalls when the teams lined-up along the foul lines to salute the flag as the Star-Spangled Banner played on. In the bleachers, silence dominated, as the adults mimicked our behavior as the anthem took its course.

Thank you, to the little league officials of then, who implanted in us the tradition of coming to attention to honor and show respect to the Red, White and Blue. Oh! By the way, there’s no kneeling in baseball.

See you at the Park!