Baseball player sings impromptu National Anthem
TEMPE, Ariz. (KSAZ) - The National Anthem is usually sung before a sporting event, but that almost didn't happen at a high school baseball game last Friday because of a technical difficult. That's when a player decided to take matters into his own hands to make sure the anthem was heard.
He's a student at Corona Del Sol High School, and in addition to playing baseball, he's a member of the school's choir. So when the P/A system wasn't working, he lent his voice as a backup.
"I kind of looked around and jokingly said to the kid next to me, should I sing it, and he said can anyone sing it, and I said might as well go for it, why not," said Grayson Poole.
Without hesitation, Poole jumped at the chance to sign the Star Spangled Banner.
"During it, I was just making sure I didn't mess up the words. I was kinda freaking out a bit, but I knew I could do it, when I got back the whole team was saying atta boy, giving me high fives," said Poole.
"He just got up there on the spot, that's like not knowing you're going to pitch and just going out there and doing it," said Austin Treese.
"To see one of our players step up like that to sing the National Anthem without even a thought and knowing that it's as important and to do it that well, unbelievably proud," said David Webb.
Grayson is a member of the Jaztec Choir, the highest level at his school. He says it was the first time singing the anthem alone, but given the chance he would do it again.
"It's not really a game unless you have a national anthem. It's just the thing you do before a baseball game and to not have one is just not in the spirit of baseball," said Poole.
At high school games the National Anthem is a recording, but after his performance the team hopes he can do it more often.