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Opening Day of the Major League Baseball season isn’t officially a national holiday, but it might as well be. It represents the turn of spring, new hope, and excitement for baseball fans across the country.
But as far as bad omens go, the New York Mets couldn’t have possibly gotten a worse one ahead of their Opening Day matchup with the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday, thanks to Hamilton star Christopher Jackson.
Jackson, who originated the role of George Washington in the now legendary Broadway musical, sang the national anthem ahead of New York’s showdown with Pittsburgh. But while everything went according to plan during the soundcheck, things went awry when Jackson got up to sing the anthem in front of the sell-out crowd.
Christopher Jackson Forgot The Words To The National Anthem At Mets Opening Day
If anybody could reasonably be tasked with knowing the words of the national anthem of the United States, you’d think it would be the man who most famously portrayed the country’s first president.
But apparently that’s not the case!
While video of the incident isn’t available at this time, multiple attendees confirmed that Jackson briefly botched the words to the anthem before ultimately getting back on track.
“Hot start to the season as Mets National Anthem singer Christopher Jackson mangles the words to the Star Spangled Banner. Woof,” one fan posted on X.
“Christopher Jackson of Hamilton should be ashamed of himself. You had one job to do and that was singing the national anthem at opening day for the Mets and failed sir,” wrote another
Now, everybody makes mistakes, even the pros. But to make matters worse, it’s not the first time Jackson has performed the anthem at a Mets game, and he had no issues with the words previously.
At least some fans had sympathy for Jackson, who is one of the biggest stars on Broadway after his role in Hamilton.
“My stomach fell outta me listening to Christopher Jackson flub the lyrics to the National Anthem today,” @cstratOHMY posted. “I felt so terrible.”
And after all, as another fan reminded, Francis Scott Key didn’t write the words to the anthem until 1814, 15 years after George Washington’s death.