Like so many famous songs of yore, "The Star-Spangled Banner" started as a poem, called “The Defence of Fort McHenry.” It was written by Francis Scott Key in 1814 during the War of 1812.

The first documented performance of the song at a baseball game was during the 1918 World Series. “The Star-Spangled Banner” ...

By now you’ve probably heard the claim that America’s national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” is an expression ... who wrote the words to the song during the War of 1812, was defaced ...