How the tradition got started: Singing the national anthem before sporting events

If you’ve ever gone to a sporting event in the U.S., you’ve likely been treated to a rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, whether it’s played over the public address system or performed live.

No matter where in America you are, the tradition is the same:

Stand, remove your hat, place your hand over your heart and quietly observe the song.

When Super Bowl XLVI kicks off in a little over a week Carrie Underwood will sing the national anthem.

So, ever wonder how that tradition got started?

Matt Soniak of Mental Floss magazine did some research into the subject. What he found isn’t too surprising — the tradition grew out of the World War I and World War II eras — but the details of how the tradition came about are interesting.

It all started in baseball. From the blog:

After America’s entrance into World War I, Major League Baseball games often featured patriotic rituals, such as players marching in formation during pregame military drills and bands playing patriotic songs. During the seventh-inning stretch of game one of the 1918 World Series, the band erupted into “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The Cubs and Red Sox players faced the centerfield flag pole and stood at attention. The crowd, already on their feet, began to sing along and applauded at the end of the song.

Given the positive reaction, the band played the song during the next two games, and when the Series moved to Boston, the Red Sox owner brought in a band and had the song played before the start of each remaining contest. After the war (and after the song was made the national anthem by a congressional resolution in 1931), the song continued to be played, but only on special occasions like opening day, national holidays and World Series games.

Related: Get your Super Bowl gear at our NFL Fan Shop.

Thursday trivia: Where was the first Pro Bowl held?

For the first time in 30 years, the Pro Bowl will not be played in Aloha Stadium.

The Pro Bowl will be played in Miami’s Sun Life Stadium this year, one week before the Super Bowl. It’s a change of tradition as the NFL tries to build interest in its annual all-star game.

The first Pro Bowl was played in January of 1939, featuring the NFL champion New York Giants facing off against an all-star team of pros. The Giants won 13-10.

That brings us to our question of the week:

Where was the first Pro Bowl held?

If you know the answer, post it here, give us a Tweet or find us on Facebook.

Related: The Football America homepage is back up and running.

Biceps bands: Football’s newest fashion statement

Let’s be frank. The biceps bands that have caught on lately in college and professional football are absolutely useless. They serve no purpose.

But they look pretty darn cool.

We carry Nike’s biceps bands. They’re made of rugged nylon and spandex to keep their stretch and shape.

So if they don’t really do anything, why wear them?

It looks good. They give an extra dimension of definition to your arms.

And if you look like a beast, you’re going to feel like a beast. And if you feel like a beast, you’re going to play like a beast.

From a New York Times article:

“There is absolutely no benefit from a performance standpoint or a medical standpoint,” said Ralph Reiff, a certified athletic trainer and director of St. Vincent Sports Performance in Indianapolis. He has seen the upper-arm bands become popular on football players from the N.F.L. down to middle school. “It’s purely a fashion statement.”

Ronnie Barnes, vice president for medical services for the New York Giants, agreed.

“There is no medical benefit or purpose,” said Barnes, who has about 10 players on his team wearing versions of the biceps bands. “A lot of players wear them because they believe it enhances the muscular definition in their arms. At the end of the day, you can attribute this increasing trend to the old adage: look good, feel good, play good.”

If you wear biceps bands, don’t expect them to cure your tendinitis or help you grip the ball better. But biceps bands will make you look like a big ball of muscles, and you will strike fear in your opponents hearts.

And that’s almost as good.

Related: Check out our selection of football wrist and arm accessories.

Saints vs. Colts: Time to gear up for Super Bowl XLIV

For the first time in the history of the Super Bowl, both No. 1 seeds are headed to the championship game.

The Indianapolis Colts earned a return trip to the big game this past weekend with a 30-17 victory over Mark Sanchez and the New York Jets. Peyton Manning, Reggie Wayne and the Colts are primed for a repeat of their title three years ago.

Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and the New Orleans Saints are hoping destiny is on their side, following a 31-28 overtime victory over Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings this past weekend.

It’s the first ever Super Bowl berth in franchise history, and the Saints are hoping to parlay it into their first ever Super Bowl victory.

Kickoff is slated for February 7, which means there’s still plenty of time to gear up in your team’s colors and get it by game time.

Just a few items from our selection of NFL shirts, hats, hoodies and more:

Related: View our selection of NFL shirts, hats, hoodies and more.