NEW YORK — Twenty-five years after 9/11, it’s still a daily tradition in the South Bronx, one intended to evoke patriotism but at times dividing opinion. During the seventh-inning stretch, New York Yankees players and coaches line up, the public address announcer asks fans to stand and remove their hats, and “God Bless America” blares over the loudspeakers.As the nation reeled in the days and weeks after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, all 30 ballparks in the major leagues played the song during every game.Yet over the years, other teams dropped “God Bless America” from their in-game programming. Yankee Stadium became the only MLB stadium where it has been heard every game since.There are no plans to stop playing it anytime soon, according to team officials.“It’s a beautiful moment every night to reflect and to thank the veterans for their service and honor them and America,” team president Randy Levine told The Athletic. “It’s a nice tribute.”It will be played again Friday, the 25th anniversary of 9/11, when the Yankees host the New York Mets in the opener of another Subway Series. The seventh-inning performance will be part of a slate of tributes to honor the more than 3,000 people who died as a result of the attacks, the largest of which took place just 10 miles south in downtown Manhattan.25 years since Mike Piazza's emotional home runKen Rosenthal and Johnny SweetThe playing of “God Bless America,” written in 1918 by Irving Berlin, during every game is a holdover directive from late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner. Some teams, such as the San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies, play the song on Sundays. Others reserve it for special occasions.After 9/11, MLB postponed games for nearly a week. When play resumed, the league directed teams to play “God Bless America” at every game. Then at some point during the 2002 season, teams were told they needed to play the song only on Sundays and holidays. And before Opening Day in 2003, teams played it during their home openers. MLB no longer tells clubs to play the song.Still, Steinbrenner wanted to continue using it during games every day, and the tradition has continued while his son Hal has run the club.The majority of fans in what’s expected to be a sellout crowd Friday night will likely stand during the song, which will be sung by a member of the New York City Fire Department.Before it begins, the Yankees spotlight their “veteran of the game,” highlighting a military member by having him or her stand on the warning track of the backstop.In the bleachers, members of the Bleacher Creatures unfurl and display an American flag, and it’s usually shown on the big scoreboard screen in center field. If the game is airing on the YES Network, owned by the Yankees, the broadcast doesn’t go to commercial break until the song ends.When it’s over, the crowd cheers. But, over the years, the song has sometimes been problematic for the Yankees and around the league.In 2009, a Queens man sued the Yankees and the New York Police Department after he was ejected from the old Yankee Stadium by police officers for trying to use the bathroom during “God Bless America.” As part of a settlement, the Yankees agreed not to restrict fan movement during the song. Fans are now allowed to move freely, but not standing for the song can draw scrutiny, such as when Bad Bunny remained seated in the stands as the song played at Game 3 of the 2025 American League Division Series.Also in 2009, the Yankees cut ties with Ronan Tynan, who had a regular spot singing “God Bless America,” after he made anti-Semitic remarks. Tynan later apologized, saying he was joking.In 2019, the Yankees stopped using a recording of Kate Smith’s “God Bless America” after they learned Smith had recorded racially offensive songs in the 1930s. They then switched to a version performed by Robert Merrill, which they still use. The Philadelphia Flyers also stopped playing Smith’s version at the time.The song has occasionally been a target for protests.In 2004, then-Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Carlos Delgado remained in the dugout whenever “God Bless America” was played during games throughout the league in a personal protest of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. At Yankee Stadium, he was booed each time he walked to the plate.Paul Goldschmidt — right, with Aaron Judge — said the playing of “God Bless America” brings back memories of 9/11. (Andrew Mordzynski / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)But “God Bless America” has fans inside the Yankees’ clubhouse.Starting pitcher Gerrit Cole is among the Yankees who sings along with it. He called it a “tremendously important song for our country, why it was written, the history of it.” He also said he believes it is an important part of the “pageantry of a Yankee game.”First baseman Paul Goldschmidt said when he hears “God Bless America,” it spurs “just a small memory of what happened” on 9/11.“It always kind of makes us appreciate that we’re just playing a game and just thankful for the people in our military,” Goldschmidt said.In 2023, right fielder Aaron Judge told NJ Advance Media that singing “God Bless America” during games is “my sign of respect for the veterans who are being honored on the field.”“They’re 70 years old,” he said, “some are 80, some are 90 and can barely walk. You see an old photo of them, their rank, what branch of the service (and) where they fought. I have nothing but respect for them.”And Judge will likely be able to show that respect as long as he’s wearing pinstripes, since “God Bless America” appears here to stay in the Bronx.