A Poor Tribute to Hispanic Heritage

I attended a Washington Nationals game this month when the Astros were in town. I am new to the District, and it was my second game at the new stadium. The theme of the night was a celebration of Hispanic heritage. The woman chosen to sing the national anthem was of Cuban descent, and she was announced as a mainstay of the local music scene.

However, on a day that celebrated the progress made by Hispanics in America, this woman could not sing without the help of notes. Maybe the average person on the street would need notes to get through the song, and that would include the native-born and immigrants alike. However, the average person is not singing the song that honors our country before 30,000 people.

What's more, I was made to listen to half the game called in Spanish. If I am to honor Hispanic culture by listening to a baseball game in a language I don't understand, the Nationals could have found someone to do a better job with the anthem.

I was disappointed with how the Nationals handled what could have been a night celebrating two cultures.

CHRIS GRUBERT

Washington