March 09, 2018
Several thousand Phillies fans helped Janice Knapp finish the national anthem after her microphone cut out on the singer prior to Friday's spring training game.
The Spectrum Field public address system stopped working as Knapp sang "The Star Spangled Banner" moments before the Phillies took on the Pirates in a Grapefruit League game.
PA system stop working while you're singing the National Anthem? Don't trip, @Phillies fans can take it from here. https://t.co/SX9YSE9on8 pic.twitter.com/i5kmpTzrtT
— Cut4 (@Cut4) March 9, 2018
NBC Philadelphia, which was broadcasting the game, caught the tail end of the anthem.
As Knapp sang "O'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave," the broadcast picked up the voices of a stadium full of people singing along.
"I got to tell you," Phillies broadcaster Tom McCarthy said on the broadcast. "Janice Knapp just gave a beautiful rendtion of the national anthem and the PA system was not working here. So the fans sort of helped along.
"It was bone-chilling, just how good it was. It gave you a little goosebumps as the crowd joined in what was arguably one of the best national anthem singers we've heard here in spring training."
Afterward, the Phillies dugout applauded the crowd as the Phillie Phanatic hoisted Knapp's right arm high in recognition.
It might not have been Mo Cheeks assisting Natalie Gilbert complete the national anthem, but it appeared to be a nice moment.
