Strike Up the Band

I learned this morning during ESPN's recap of the baseball All Star Game that John Philip Sousa, yes the actual man, led the band at the first All Star game in 1933. Of course I have heard Sousa's name associated with an endless amount of memorable American music, but I guess he was so iconic that I never imagined him as an actual person that ever led a band. I find it much more significant that he led the band at this game than, for example, Babe Ruth hit the first home run. Is that weird?