Yankees drop Kate Smith's 1939 rendition of 'God Bless America' from the club's regular seventh-inning stretch festivities after learning of racist songs from the late singer's past Kate Smith's rendition of 'God Bless America' is no longer being played during the seventh-inning stretch at New York Yankees home games According to the New York Daily News, the team dropped the song after becoming aware of the late Smith's racially insensitive songs Those songs include 'Pickaninny Heaven' and 'That's Why Darkies Were Born' Smith reportedly said she directed 'Pickaninny Heaven' at 'colored children,' and she included a line about a wonderful place with 'great big watermelons' The team had been using Smith's 1939 'God Bless America' recording over the last 18 seasons, following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 The Yankees have been using different versions of 'God Bless America' in place of Smith's recording this season and will continue to do so Smith was immortalized with her own statue outside the old Philadelphia Flyers' home arena, where her song was used as a good luck charm in the 70s and 80s
By Alex Raskin Sports News Editor For Dailymail.com
Published: 21:58 BST, 18 April 2019 | Updated: 01:46 BST, 19 April 2019
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Kate Smith's rendition of 'God Bless America' is no longer being played during the seventh-inning stretch at New York Yankees home games after the club recently learned of her history of singing racist songs.
According to the New York Daily News, the team dropped the song after becoming aware of the late Smith's racially insensitive songs, with names like 'Pickaninny Heaven' and 'That's Why Darkies Were Born.'
The Yankees have been using different versions of 'God Bless America' in place of Smith's recording, and will
