On this day, October 17, in 1968

RCA Records issued Jose Feliciano’s bluesy rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner.” Feliciano, who is a Puerto Rican singer and guitarist delivered the first widely heard “pop” performance of the national anthem at a World Series game earlier that year. The performance was not received well and by the end of the song riled up baseball fans began booing and throwing their shoes at the television screen. The controversy reached its height when a few enraged citizens demanded that Feliciano be deported. Any idea where this irrational burst of anger came from? (…sarcastically) Strikes me as an example of patriotism meets racism. What do you think?