Yankees fans were hyped for Opening Day ready to cheer on their team. But before the first pitch even flew something happened that got people talking and maybe not for the best reasons. It involves the national anthem a Broadway star and well a phone.
'Star-Spangled Banner' Stumble? Broadway's Betsy Wolfe Appears to Read Lyrics from Phone at Yankee Game
So for the big Opening Day game against the Milwaukee Brewers the New York Yankees tapped Betsy Wolfe to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner". Betsy Wolfe is a real deal Broadway actress known for shows like "& Juliet" and "Waitress". You would think someone with her background would nail the anthem no problem right?
Well things took an unexpected turn. As Betsy Wolfe sang fans watching at Yankee Stadium and online noticed something. It looked like she was reading the lyrics from her phone! Yep the Broadway star appeared to be using her phone as a teleprompter for the national anthem. And the internet well it had opinions.
Social media blew up pretty quick with fans commenting on the performance. Many were not happy. Some people on X even told the Yankees to "do better" next time. They felt it was disrespectful or unprofessional to need to read the lyrics especially for such a significant event like Opening Day. Some used words like " embarrassing " and "yikes".
However it wasn't all negative. Amidst the phone drama some fans actually praised Betsy Wolfe's voice itself. They said she has a great singing voice even if the phone thing was a bit of a distraction. So it was a mixed bag of reactions but definitely more tilted towards the "huh?" side of things.
Who is Betsy Wolfe Anyway? Broadway Star Stepping Up to the Mic (Phone in Hand)
For those not super familiar Betsy Wolfe is a pretty big name in the Broadway world. She is not just some random person picked off the street. We are talking about a seasoned performer with major credits. She has been in shows like "Waitress" "Falsettos" and "The Last Five Years". She recently played Anne Hathaway in "& Juliet" in New York City. She even has a Tony Award nomination under her belt. This is someone with serious vocal chops and stage presence.
That is partly why the phone situation surprised so many people. Someone with her professional background is expected to have the national anthem memorized especially for a high-profile gig like this. It is not like she is unfamiliar with performing in front of large crowds.
Yankees Still Win! Game Day Action Despite Anthem Antics on Opening Day
Despite the pre-game anthem buzz the actual baseball game did happen and the Yankees did win! They beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-2. Yankees fans did have something to cheer about on the field even if the anthem moment was a bit awkward for some.
There was some excitement early on in the game too. Yankees catcher Austin Wells hit a lead-off home run in the first inning. That is actually a pretty rare feat. He became the first catcher in all of Major League Baseball history to hit a lead-off home run on Opening Day. So Yankees fans had that to celebrate too amidst the anthem chatter.
National Anthem No-Nos? Betsy Wolfe Joins List of Singers Facing Scrutiny
Betsy Wolfe is not the first performer to get heat for a national anthem performance and she probably won't be the last. Remember Ingrid Andress? She faced a lot of criticism for her Home Run Derby anthem rendition. In her case she later apologized and admitted she had been drunk during the performance. She even said she was going to rehab to get help. That was a pretty dramatic situation.
While Betsy Wolfe's situation is different it does highlight the pressure that comes with singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at major events. Everyone has an opinion and people tend to be pretty critical if anything seems off whether it is forgetting lyrics messing up the melody or in this case using a phone.
Fan Frenzy: Social Media Reactions to Betsy Wolfe's Yankee Anthem Performance
Want to see what people were saying online? Here are some examples of fan reactions to Betsy Wolfe's national anthem performance at the Yankees Opening Day game:
- "Whoever (is) singing the anthem for the Yankees game gotta be embarrassed." - (Disgruntled Viewer on YES Network Post)
- "The young lady singing the national anthem at the #Yankees game is reading the lyrics off of her phone….YIKES #OpeningDay" - (X User)
- "I hate to be mean but if that anthem wasn’t a bad omen I don’t know what it was? #Yankees." - (X User)
- "Wow! How Embarrassing Singing of National Anthem for Opening Day at Yankee Stadium. And she also Needed her Cell Phone to Remember the Words. Really! Is this the Best You Could Get/Afford for Opening Day? @Yankees." - (X User)
These are just a few examples but you get the idea. Many fans were not holding back in their critiques online. The phone definitely became the main talking point overshadowing the actual singing for some.
Anthem Autopsy: Was It Really That Bad or Just a Minor League Mishap?
So was Betsy Wolfe's performance truly the "worst ever" national anthem as some online commenters claimed? Probably not. "Worst ever" is a pretty strong statement and likely hyperbole fueled by social media outrage. Her voice itself as some noted was likely fine. The issue really seems to be about the perceived lack of preparation or respect in using a phone for the lyrics.
It raises questions about expectations for national anthem singers at sporting events especially for big moments like Opening Day. Is memorization absolutely mandatory? Should a Broadway pro be held to a higher standard? And in the grand scheme of things does reading lyrics off a phone really ruin the whole experience? Fans are definitely debating those points online right now and it shows how seriously people take this pre-game ritual even if it does involve a little bit of phone-related drama.