- Nov 2, 2003
- 31,703
- 4,178
Roger Doucet - Maybe it was just the fact that there were so many great Habs teams when he was singing the national anthem, or that it was in the old Montreal Forum, but either way he's one of the best.
Rene Rancourt - I have no idea why he isn't doing it anymore other than he retired and maybe didn't want to anymore, but he was a great one in Boston. Sang the national anthem prior to Game 6 of the 1975 World Series (Carlton Fisk game) so he was a fixture in Boston for a while. He did it with the Bruins for 40 years. The fist pump was his calling card.
Wayne Messmer - When I looked him up I was surprised he didn't sing for very long at old Chicago Stadium. I don't know if he was just a great singer or the crowd at Chicago Stadium just drowned him out every time but I always associate him with the Blackhawks. So............I didn't know this, or remember this, but he was shot in the throat in 1994! The Hawks let him sing the anthem at the first game of the United Center though. Another thing you associate him with is the "Star Spangled Banner" at the 1991 All-Star game, which gives you chills.
Kate Smith - No, it wasn't the anthem, but it is pretty hard to ignore Kate Smith's impact in singing "God Bless America" at the Flyers games. I have to look the record up again, but she had, what was it, a 90% winning percentage when she sang prior to the game? Game 6 of the 1974 Cup final is the most famous one of course and Phil Esposito and Bobby Orr purposely shook her hand after the song just to put a jinx on the Flyers. A shame what the Flyers did to her with such a knee-jerk reaction last year, she was dragged through the mud. Lauren Hart singing "God Bless America" before the Flyers games and having Kate on the screen doing it with her was about as loyal as you could get to the Flyers' fanbase with Hart being the daughter of legendary broadcaster Gene Hart. Either way, Smith probably is the anthem singer best associated with a franchise.
Lyndon Slewidge - Maybe it was just being a Leaf fan and seeing all of those series vs. Ottawa back in the day, but I was very familiar with him. Always did a salute at the end of the Canadian anthem.
Michael Burgess - Anthem singer for the Leafs but some Canadians might remember him when as the singer for our anthem at the 1992 World Series. He also sang the anthems during the 1987 Canada Cup (Canada and Russia's).
I am missing some, but feel free to share yours. An honourable mention, while Metallica wasn't a regular anthem performer, one of the best and most inspiring renditions of the "Star Spangled Banner" during Game 4 of the 2016 Cup final in San Jose. Wow. This was just straight and to the point and nothing but pure music behind it. Probably the best since Jimi Hendrix's version for those that liked that one. Anyway, book Metallica any chance you get, how does that not inspire you?
Rene Rancourt - I have no idea why he isn't doing it anymore other than he retired and maybe didn't want to anymore, but he was a great one in Boston. Sang the national anthem prior to Game 6 of the 1975 World Series (Carlton Fisk game) so he was a fixture in Boston for a while. He did it with the Bruins for 40 years. The fist pump was his calling card.
Wayne Messmer - When I looked him up I was surprised he didn't sing for very long at old Chicago Stadium. I don't know if he was just a great singer or the crowd at Chicago Stadium just drowned him out every time but I always associate him with the Blackhawks. So............I didn't know this, or remember this, but he was shot in the throat in 1994! The Hawks let him sing the anthem at the first game of the United Center though. Another thing you associate him with is the "Star Spangled Banner" at the 1991 All-Star game, which gives you chills.
Kate Smith - No, it wasn't the anthem, but it is pretty hard to ignore Kate Smith's impact in singing "God Bless America" at the Flyers games. I have to look the record up again, but she had, what was it, a 90% winning percentage when she sang prior to the game? Game 6 of the 1974 Cup final is the most famous one of course and Phil Esposito and Bobby Orr purposely shook her hand after the song just to put a jinx on the Flyers. A shame what the Flyers did to her with such a knee-jerk reaction last year, she was dragged through the mud. Lauren Hart singing "God Bless America" before the Flyers games and having Kate on the screen doing it with her was about as loyal as you could get to the Flyers' fanbase with Hart being the daughter of legendary broadcaster Gene Hart. Either way, Smith probably is the anthem singer best associated with a franchise.
Lyndon Slewidge - Maybe it was just being a Leaf fan and seeing all of those series vs. Ottawa back in the day, but I was very familiar with him. Always did a salute at the end of the Canadian anthem.
Michael Burgess - Anthem singer for the Leafs but some Canadians might remember him when as the singer for our anthem at the 1992 World Series. He also sang the anthems during the 1987 Canada Cup (Canada and Russia's).
I am missing some, but feel free to share yours. An honourable mention, while Metallica wasn't a regular anthem performer, one of the best and most inspiring renditions of the "Star Spangled Banner" during Game 4 of the 2016 Cup final in San Jose. Wow. This was just straight and to the point and nothing but pure music behind it. Probably the best since Jimi Hendrix's version for those that liked that one. Anyway, book Metallica any chance you get, how does that not inspire you?
