What we refer to as National Anthems today were initially called Royal Anthems, and they were played for the Monarchs of the various European nations.
The Dutch National Anthem Willhelmus was written between 1568 and 1572 during the Dutch Revolt but was only recognised officially as the National Anthem in 1932. Britain’s God Save the King/Queen was first played publicly in 1619.
These anthems were played at national public events in many countries during the 19th Century. Was this when National Anthems started to be played before sporting events?
There is no clear indication that this was the case across the board, however we do know that in the United States of America the “Star-Spangled Banner” was performed as early as 1897 at opening day ceremonies in Philadelphia and then at the Polo Grounds in New York City beginning in 1898. It did not become a regular event at baseball matches until 1918. Yet the Star Spangled banner did not become the National Anthem of the USA until 1931. Up until that time their National Anthem was “America” (My Country, Tis of Thee).
Today, the USA National Anthem is performed before the beginning of all MLS, NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL games that has at least one American team playing, as well as in a pre-race ceremony portion of every NASCAR race. When a Canadian team is competing both National Anthems are played.
It is believed that the first international sporting match that saw the National Anthems of both teams played before the match occurred in 1905 when Wales hosted New Zealand’s Original All Blacks. This was a big game in terms of bragging rights. Wales had won the Triple Crown defeating England, Ireland and Scotland. This first touring All Black side had done the same on their tour, so whoever won this match could claim at that time to be the best in the World.
The game was played on the 16th of December 1905 at the Cardiff Arms Park stadium. Before Kick Off the All Blacks performed their Haka which was perceived as being the National Anthem of New Zealand; although God Save the Queen/King was in fact the National anthem at the time. Following the Haka, the Welsh players responded with Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau (Land of my Fathers) which the crowd picked up creating an incredible atmosphere. This song has now over time become the unofficial National Anthem of Wales.
Many believe that it was the International Olympic Committee who led the way when in 1920 the Olympic Charter decreed that the Gold Medal winner’s National Anthem would be played after they had received their gold medal and when their Nation’s flag was raised.
Now we hear National Anthems played before most international sporting events, and even in some domestic competitions.
For example in the old National Soccer League in Australia, which saw many clubs originating from migrant communities competing, when Perth Glory was admitted into the League club owner Nick Tana opted to play the National Anthem to try and remind fans that they were all Australian. This was to try and prevent any animosity based on their opponents founding roots. It is fair to say that it worked.
Ask any player who has stood on a medal podium and seen their nation’s flag raised as the National Anthem plays and most will tell you that it is an unforgettable moment. Players who stand on the pitch or court before a match and hear the crowd belt out their anthem will say the same. It is something that never leaves them.
Yet there has been a real to-do in the past few weeks because Lee Carsley the England Football team’s interim coach chose not to sing the National Anthem during the last two internationals the team played. Although born in Birmingham Carsley played internationally for the Republic of Ireland, as his grandmother was Irish. When representing the Republic it has to be said that even then he did not sing the National anthem before games.
In fact there are many coaches and players who do not sing the anthems before games, and all have their reasons. Many will tell you that it is such an emotionally charged moment that if they sang they may well break into tears.
The truth is National Anthems while stirring, have in the past two decades failed to garner the respect that they used to hold.
As covered back in 2015 in Respecting a Nation’s Anthem there were already many who simply paid no attention to the ceremony taking place on the pitch they remained seated, and many continued to chat. The days of taking off your hat to show respect have long gone.
We have seen many teams and athletes take the knee during the National Anthem, essentially to say that Black Lives Matter. Most people across the globe support such action.
Yet if we look back to the year 2016 when Colin Kaepernick was the first player to make such a gesture, the reasons for doing so he said were because he “could not stand to show pride in the flag of a country that oppressed black people.”
He did not respect the flag or the anthem because in his opinion it would have been hypocritical to do so. When the nation was not living up to the tenets that it promoted. (Crossing The Line – Politics and Sport) There would be thousands of people in hundreds of countries who would feel the same way about their nation.
Every week players take the knee, and one presumes that their actions reflect Kaepernick’s that they can no longer show pride in the flag and the anthem and what it stands for. The nation’s actions do not reflect the words being sung. So is such an action worse than not singing at all? Is taking a knee being disrespectful? Crucially, and is this really an issue, is not singing really being disrespectful?
The raised fists of Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico has become an iconic image. Many saw it as being a racist gesture but it was never intended to be that. As Smith told HBO years later “We were just human beings who saw a need to bring attention to the inequality in our country.”
Every day our political leaders and leaders of industry have a platform from which they preach to the rest of us. It is fair to say that in recent times few believe much of what they have to say, and know that they only speak to expel air to blow up their own self importance. Athletes, many of whom are very poorly paid are frequently told that they are not allowed to have beliefs of their own, let alone air those thoughts or beliefs publicly.
Their moment in the spotlight is often when the National Anthem plays, and that is why so many opt to make a statement at that time.
At the 1972 Olympic Games standing on the podium after receiving their medals in the 400m final USA track stars Vince Matthews and Wayne Collett stood together on the gold medal stage of the podium and chatted, they did not stand erect and look at the flag. Their gestures would see them banned for life from the Olympic Games, a ban that was only lifted in 2024 before the Paris Olympic Games. Wayne Collett passed away in 2010, so will never know of his pardon, Matthews is 76 years old.
Collett may well have been a man ahead of his time, when he said to Howard Cossell from the ABC ” It was just me standing up there for the national anthem, and I couldn’t stand there and sing the words because I don’t believe they’re true. I wish they were. I think we have the potential to have a beautiful country, but I don’t think we do.”
In his autobiography Vince Matthews wrote, “I just wasn’t going along with the program of all those patriotic people, period. I just don’t dig patriotism and boundaries. I’ve always felt that there are two big things most wars are started over: one is patriotism, the other is religious boundaries.” He goes on to say “Patriots tell you to wave the flag and support the cause. But what do these same people do to solve the injustices of their society?”
Patriotism can be dangerous, and sport should be very careful how it is used. At the FIFA World Cup in Germany in 2006 there were many who were very concerned about the Patriotism that was growing within the country, as they knew where such emotion had taken in them in the not too distant past. For those who were concerned they were paying attention to that history.
Often history will play a big part in how a crowd reacts to a national anthem. As a commentator I have witnessed fans of one nation preparing to play a nation with whom they have had a bitter war with in the past sit down once their opponent’s anthem starts to play. Those feelings are very real to those people, their wounds will take generations to heal.
Therefore in context Lee Carsley’s not singing it is truly a non-event, and one wonders why so much media coverage was given to it. Surely all that mattered was whether the team won and how they performed. With Carsley not having sung the anthem as a player or coach, one has to say that he has shown consistency. As for his motives do they really matter? Maybe he is simply tone deaf and cannot string a tune together?
That aside with the world today and the turbulence in many countries there for all to see or bubbling under the surface in others, does sport need to be more cautious when it comes to stirring up patriotism? Do the National Anthem’s do that?
Many will tell you that is precisely what they do and that is why they are played before such contests. While one can understand why they are played at events such as the Olympic Games after an athlete has been victorious, but surely while protocols would say they must stand erect and listen/sing to their National Anthem, how they react is a very personal thing.
While playing the national Anthem before a game has been in place now for over 100 years, do the public across the world have the same respect for those anthems? There can be no doubt that in some countries they do. However, are they still relevant at such a time? It would be sad to see the tradition stopped, but one thing is clear the same reverence that existed 100 years ago, even 30 years ago is no longer there today.
