The 86th Major League Baseball All-Star Game on July 14 brought thousands of baseball fans from around the country to Cincinnati, Ohio. From Friday, July 10, until the game on Sunday night, people gathered at Fan Fest, enjoyed the typical ballpark foods and waited for a glimpse of their favorite players. The excitement and energy in the city was palpable, but few were as excited as the members of the Cincinnati Fire Department. A week before the events surrounding the big game kicked off, 120 of Cincinnati's distinguished firefighters were asked to unfurl the American flag during the National Anthem at the Great American Ballpark.
One of the firefighters, Marc Monahan, told WLWT News that he and his fellow first responders were used to holding the flag during the Reds Opening Day game. However, Monahan continued by saying that the atmosphere surrounding the All-Star Game was much more spirited. Because the game was broadcast to over 200 countries, Monahan and the other Cincinnati firefighters practiced the unfurling several times before the big day to ensure relative perfection. The 120 men and women from the CFD did their city proud as they effortlessly displayed the nation's flag while dressed in their finest blues.