When Jackson realized no one else was willing to sign the national anthem, he had a tough decision to make. In the next moment, he took off his helmet, stepped up to the microphone, and delivered something truly magical. One thing Americans have deep respect for, besides the flag and their veterans, is the national anthem. The Star Spangled Banner served as the hymns of U.S. officialdom before 1931 and for those of you not familiar with its origins, the lyrics come from the Defence of Fort M’Henry, a poem written in September 1814 by amateur poet Francis Scott Key. Key witnessed the bombarding of Fort McHenry by British ships of the Royal Navy in Baltimore Harbor during the Battle of Baltimore and it is this event and the gorgeous U.S. flag that inspired the creation of the lyrics every proud American knows by heart. The anthem is performed before every significant event, including sports. As the players of Arundel High School, Maryland, were getting ready for a match, Jackson Dean Nicholson, a senior defensive end, was about to blow everyone’s mind with what is considered by many one of the most touching performances of the national anthem ever.