Overview
- Martha Reeves performed the Star-Spangled Banner before the Women’s Pro Baseball League opener at Robin Roberts Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 1, and the live rendition quickly circulated online.
- Video of the live anthem drew millions of views and showed players and fans trying to stifle laughter as Reeves and two backup singers delivered an uneven performance.
- Reeves told TMZ Sports that wet, windy field conditions and the absence of stage monitors prevented her from hearing herself and affected the delivery.
- TMZ later published rehearsal footage in which Reeves stops singers, says “That’s out of tune,” and tells backups “I don't need them,” while separate clips show the backups performing the anthem well at another event.
- The episode has heightened scrutiny of the WPBL's high-profile launch and could shape public perception of the league while also drawing attention to Reeves’s career and her upcoming album release on Aug. 14.