I have mixed feelings as I write this. Let me describe what happened to start off the IronPig’s double header vs. Buffalo tonight.

I was at the Club Level bar waiting for the game to start. Just before the National Anthem the bartenders stop serving, go over to the big sound proof doors and open the doors so those inside can clearly hear and honor the National Anthem as is it sung or played.

One of my favorite moments of the night. (Some of you may or may not know I am a 14 year veteran of the United States Marine Corps)

I love the National Anthem.

Tonight the singer came out and belted out one of the best renditions I’ve ever heard. It was pretty clear this woman was a professional singer.

Before I go any further I will flash back to earlier in the evening. The Noise Nation staff is pretty familiar with the Press folks who frequent Coca Cola Park. Tonight we saw some outsiders going around with a film crew and wondered to ourselves who they were. They seemed focused on the opening “ceremonies” before the game.

Back to the National Anthem and as the angel voiced singer got to “Home of the Brave” the crowd erupted in cheers and applause. I was impressed. A moment passed and she kept going. Now I know the National Anthem has more than one verse and most within my sight smiled with pride that this gal was both knowledgeable and willing to sing all the verses. More so was I surprised that the tight scheduled team would allow her to keep going as the “Norm” is generally the first verse. Fans dutifully stood back up and remained so through the rest of the Anthem.

I was impressed. I really was. This woman, in my opinion, was THEE best to sing at Coca Cola Park here in Allentown. Ever.

Kind of reminded me of the movie “Mystery Alaska” (Click ahead to 4:30 in the below video for the scene I’m referencing)

Later I found out that her act was a gimmick, a prank, a test. Rumor has it that the film crew was from Sports Illustrated and the singer was a plant (with the team’s permission) to gauge the reactions of fans, players and staff to hearing the full National Anthem being sung before the game.

Also of note, it was reported that IronPig’s coach Sal Rende did not, in fact, have his stopwatch in hand tonight. (For those who guessed on this last week, you appear to be correct)

I got kind of a bitter taste in my mouth. Just prior to finding this out an on field contest revealed a “prize” in the IronPig’s version of “Let’s make a deal” where a young girl chose the big box her father, who just returned from duty in Afghanistan, was hiding in. A very emotional and inspiring moment.

Now I loved hearing the entire National Anthem and loved the singer who sang it with pride and enthusiasm without turning it into an American Idol audition but I cringed a bit when I realized that this could been a “test” to see how people would react.

Personally, I believe the Lehigh Valley reacted in a good and respectful way. My hat’s off to you IronPig fans.

To Sports Illustrated.. do not doubt our Patriotism. We love the USA, good or bad. Just like we love our IronPigs!

UPDATE: 12:08AM

As Noted from Decal, we learned the identity of tonight’s National Anthem performer!

Also pointed out that Lena is part of a Tony winning Broadway show called “Kinky Boots” who is Directed by Jerry Mitchell, uncle of IronPig Derrick Mitchell.

OinK!

For those interested:

O say can you see by the dawn’s early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
‘Tis the star-spangled banner, O! long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion,
A home and a country, should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave,
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war’s desolation.
Blest with vict’ry and peace, may the Heav’n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: “In God is our trust.”
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

This photo has us at the Noise Nation intrigued. Each game Sal Rende pulls out a stopwatch and shares the results with IronPig’s GM Kurt Landes. Happens at the same time each game.

So we decided to have a quiz!

“At what point of the IronPig’s game does Sal Rende use a Stopwatch and for what?”

Leave your best guess in the comments below!

I’ll try to explain when necessary, but these Cheryl Pursell photos are her story and are presented with minimal Kram-verbiage interruption.  They are all courtesy and copyright, Cheryl Pursell:

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The afternoon started with some news…

 

Thanks, Cheryl.  We love them!