The seventh-inning stretch is one baseball tradition that helps make the game one of America's favorite pastimes. In the middle of the seventh inning fans ritualistically stand and stretch before the home team comes to bat.  No one really knows the origin of the custom, but there are theories on how it started. Baseball historian Dan Daniel provided this explanation: "It probably began as an expression of fatigue. That would explain why the stretch comes late in the game instead of at the halfway point." A more popular story involves President William Howard Taft and the birth of two baseball traditions. According to the account, Taft attended the first game of the 1910 baseball season. On the spur of the moment, plate umpire  Billy Evans gave Taft the ball. He asked him to throw it over the plate. Taft did so, and the custom of having the president launch the baseball season with the first pitch was born.  The story continues that later that same day, President Taft, who weighed well over 300 pounds, became uncomfortable in his small chair. In the middle of the seventh inning, he stood up to stretch his legs. The crowd thought that the president was leaving, so they stood up out of respect. A few moments later, Taft sat down again. The fans followed, and the seventh-inning stretch was born. What a day for traditions! No matter how the tradition began, fans have since added to the fun. Now, as they stand to stretch during the seventh inning, they can sing along to Jack Norworth's 1927 version of the song "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" after the visiting team has batted. The seventh-inning stretch is celebrated with the song "Take Me Out to the Ball Game"   _  .
a few moments after the beginning after the visiting team has batted in the seventh inning between the sixth and seventh innings after the home team has batted in the seventh inning