1918

The 1918 World Series was the first time "The Star Spangles Banner" was performed at a major league game. During Game 1, the seventh-inning stretch, a band began playing the song in honor of the country being involved in World War I. In 1931, the song would be named the national anthem of the United States. And, during World War II, its playing would become a regular pregame feature of baseball games and other sporting events.