Social media reacts to Betsy Wolfe's national anthem ahead of Brewers vs Yankees
The New York Yankees began their 2025 campaign with a 4-2 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, but the game was marked by a national anthem controversy and late-inning drama.
Broadway actress Betsy Wolfe performed “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the first pitch, but fans quickly noticed she was reading the lyrics from her phone.
Anybody that has to read the lyrics off their phone shouldn’t be allowed to sing. Especially since it’s the Star Spangled Banner
— grimace (@heyyitsgrimace) March 27, 2025
Betsy Wolfe: another fine example of our "wonderful" education system. 😂😂
Many users were especially critical of New York Yankees, wondering why such a huge organization couldn't afford to hrie someone else.
Wow! How Embarrassing Singing of National Anthem for Opening Day at Yankee Stadium. And she also Needed her Cell Phone to Remember the Words. Really! Is this the Best You Could Get/Afford for Opening Day? @Yankees
— Ed (@fasteddie516) March 27, 2025Yankees opening day didn't go as planned for fans, who expressed their dissatisfaction with the national anthem performance by Broadway actress Betsy Wolfe. The team sought to secure a victory over the Brewers, but frustrations lingered from the pre-game experience.
Once the game began, Yankees catcher Austin Wells provided an early highlight, launching a solo home run in the first inning. The blast made him the first catcher in MLB history to hit a leadoff homer on Opening Day.
New York held a 4-1 lead heading into the ninth, but new closer Devin Williams faced immediate trouble. He allowed a single to Joey Ortiz and a double to Isaac Collins, conceding a run before striking out Jackson Chourio and Christian Yelich to secure the win.
The Yankees and Brewers will meet again on Saturday at 1:05 p.m. ET.