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After a Devastating Hurricane Ripped Through Their Stadium, This MLB Team Finally Returned Home With a Win and an Eric Church National Anthem
With baseball considered “America’s Pastime”, there are few things better than listening to the national anthem before an MLB game. Add a few hot dogs and some beers into the mix, and it’s a pure American celebration. Given the history and importance behind the national anthem, many singers consider it to be one of the toughest performances of their careers. On Monday, Eric Church felt that pressure more than most when he welcomed the Tampa Bay Rays back to Tropicana Field with a powerful duet.
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Church’s performance at Tropicana Field wasn’t just another national anthem moment. For the first time in nearly 600 days, the Rays returned to Tropicana Field. It was back in 2024 that Hurricane Milton ripped through the area. With the baseball field fitted with a canopy roof, it stood little chance against the devastating storm. In the end, it cost almost $60 million to repair.
[RELATED: Eric Church Brings Stephen Wilson Onstage for Guy Clark, Willie Nelson Tributes]
Eric Church Set The Tone For The Tampa Bay Rays
Walking the field once again, Church was welcomed by a sold-out crowd of 25,114 fans. He wasn’t alone as Joanna Cotten joined him for a national anthem duet unlike any other. And to make it nothing short of the perfect game, the Rays beat the Chicago Cubs 6-4.
While fans loved every second, pitcher Bryan Baker recalled throwing the final strike of the game, “It felt pretty good to say the least. I think that was an encapsulation of how everybody felt getting back in this building and playing in front of these fans. To get out there and seal the deal for the boys was really fun.”
Again, getting the chance to perform the national anthem is always an honor for those asked. But for Church, it was a display of human resilience. Other than Hurricane Milton ripping through Tropicana Field, it also left thousands without homes in the Carolinas, Georgia, and Tennessee.
Much like the fans and the players, Rays Chief Executive Officer Ken Babby was in high spirits when the game officially kicked off. “This is a special moment for our team and our community, and we are excited to welcome ‘The Chief’ to Tropicana Field to celebrate our return and this magnificent moment for the community. The impact of the hurricane kept us on the road, so being back home and celebrating with an artist like Eric Church brings an extra level of excitement and emotion to this long-awaited return.”
Although just a game, the moment felt bigger than baseball. With Church honoring a city that refused to stay down, the Tampa Bay Rays stepped into a new era.
(Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
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