<P> By the early 20th century, there were various versions of the song in popular use . Seeking a singular, standard version, President Woodrow Wilson tasked the U.S. Bureau of Education with providing that official version . In response, the Bureau enlisted the help of five musicians to agree upon an arrangement . Those musicians were Walter Damrosch, Will Earhart, Arnold J. Gantvoort, Oscar Sonneck and John Philip Sousa . The standardized version that was voted upon by these five musicians premiered at Carnegie Hall on December 5, 1917, in a program that included Edward Elgar's Carillon and Gabriel Pierné's The Children's Crusade . The concert was put on by the Oratorio Society of New York and conducted by Walter Damrosch . An official handwritten version of the final votes of these five men has been found and shows all five men's votes tallied, measure by measure . </P> <P> The song gained popularity throughout the 19th century and bands played it during public events, such as July 4th celebrations . </P> <P> A plaque displayed at Fort Meade, South Dakota, claims that the idea of making "The Star Spangled Banner" the national anthem began on their parade ground in 1892 . Colonel Caleb Carlton, Post Commander, established the tradition that the song be played "at retreat and at the close of parades and concerts ." Carlton explained the custom to Governor Sheldon of South Dakota who "promised me that he would try to have the custom established among the state militia ." Carlton wrote that after a similar discussion, Secretary of War, Daniel E. Lamont issued an order that it "be played at every Army post every evening at retreat ." </P> <P> In 1899, the US Navy officially adopted "The Star - Spangled Banner". In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson ordered that "The Star - Spangled Banner" be played at military and other appropriate occasions . The playing of the song two years later during the seventh - inning stretch of Game One of the 1918 World Series, and thereafter during each game of the series is often cited as the first instance that the anthem was played at a baseball game, though evidence shows that the "Star - Spangled Banner" was performed as early as 1897 at opening day ceremonies in Philadelphia and then more regularly at the Polo Grounds in New York City beginning in 1898 . In any case, the tradition of performing the national anthem before every baseball game began in World War II . </P>

Give me the words to the star-spangled banner