Seventh-inning stretch

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The Seventh-inning stretch (dt .: stretching exercise in the seventh inning ) is an unofficial, ten-minute break in baseball (especially in Major League Baseball and the North American minor leagues ), which in the middle of the seventh inning is performed. Here, viewers are expressly encouraged to stretch, walk around, or get one last supply of groceries, as sales will stop after the seventh-inning stretch. The traditional baseball song Take Me Out to the Ball Game is usually sung for entertainment .

history

According to legend, William Howard Taft was the first US President to take part in the seventh-inning stretch.

The seventh-inning stretch has no clearly established origin, but legend has it that a baseball coach named Jasper Brennan spontaneously introduced this break in 1882 when he noticed that the spectators were restless after sitting for hours in the seventh inning. When he called for a ten-minute break, the grateful onlookers used it for stretching exercises, going to the toilet or shopping for groceries. According to other versions, the seventh-inning stretch was a tactical maneuver that teams used in the early days of baseball to give their relief pitchers a few minutes longer to warm up. Another legend has to do with US President William Howard Taft , who was said to be so stiff in the seventh inning of a 1910 baseball game that he stood up for a few minutes and stretched, which encouraged viewers to do the same.

The seventh-inning stretch established itself as a cult, and it is common for viewers to sing the song Take Me Out to the Ball Game . The song is often sung by stars in politics or entertainment. After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 , God Bless America was also sung. At some major league baseball clubs, Take Me Out to the Ball Game is followed by a second song. a. Louie Louie for the Seattle Mariners or Thank God I'm a Country Boy (John Denver) for the Baltimore Orioles .

It should be noted that the seventh-inning stretch (slightly misleading) does not take place at the beginning, but in the middle of the seventh inning, after the visiting team has hit the stroke for the seventh time. Until the end of the regular nine innings, the home team is at least twice on strike (three times if the game is tied in the middle of the ninth innings or the home team is behind), and the visiting team exactly twice. Should play go into overtime, additional stretches will be called after every additional seventh inning (i.e. after inning 14, 21, 28, etc.).

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