Martha Reeves Goes Viral For National Anthem At WPBL Debut

Source: TMZ

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The Women's Pro Baseball League officially made history with its inaugural game Saturday ... but it wasn't just the action on the field getting people talking as Motown icon Martha Reeves took center stage.

Before the first pitch, Martha was joined by two backup singers to perform "The Star-Spangled Banner," helping kick off the league's long-awaited debut.

The anthem quickly became a viral moment online, with social media lighting up as viewers weighed in on the performance -- praising the historic opening ceremony.

Regardless of where people landed, the performance generated buzz and put an even brighter spotlight on the launch of the new professional league.

Best known for hits like "Heat Wave" and "Dancing in the Street," Reeves cemented her place in music history long before she and Martha and the Vandellas were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.

Martha recently joined "TMZ Live" along with her Co-Producer and Manager, Chris Roe, and we asked her about her music comeback, Harvey -- a big fan of Martha -- then waited for the perfect moment to offer his backup vocal services.

The WPBL's debut marks a major milestone for women's baseball, bringing a professional league to the diamond and giving female players another opportunity to compete at the highest level.

And if the opening ceremony is any indication, the league's first season is already generating plenty of conversation -- both on and off the field.

Update: Martha Reeves tells TMZ in a statement ... “Having just celebrated my 85th birthday, I’ve learned a great deal over more than 60 years of performing live."

Martha continues to add ... "It was an incredible honor to be invited to perform at the inaugural Women’s Professional Baseball League event and to help celebrate such a historic moment for women in sports. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world."

She closes her message with ... "The field conditions were wet and windy, and without stage monitors I wasn’t able to hear myself as I normally would. While it wasn’t the performance I had hoped for, I’m grateful to have been there in support of these remarkable athletes and this groundbreaking league.”