Why do we play the national anthem before games?

As a toddler my youngest brother didn’t know much about the national anthem. But he did know that when the high school band played what he called the “ball-ball song,” the game would soon begin. For him, it was the basketball song.

Have you ever wondered how that tradition started?

As I take a holiday break, here’s some background from the ESPN archives: History of the national anthem in sports.