National anthem at Blackhawks games Though Chicago sports history is drenched in tradition and durability, nothing compares to the swell of patriotism that overtakes the United Center like an angry tidal wave during the pre-game singing of the national anthem. In a practice that dates back to the earliest days of Chicago Stadium, as the song builds, so does the volume-big time. Anyone who attended the last game at the old Stadium gets teary eyed just thinking about it: a roar, a fever pitch of excitement that simply drowned out Wayne Messmer as he sang the final National Anthem in those hallowed halls. The venue changed, the tradition continues. During last year’s first-round playoff game against the St. Louis Blues, Hawks’ fans created volume so thunderous it made a rock concert sound like a temple full of Buddhist monks.
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