(CNN) A year after her 1986 death, the NHL's Philadelphia Flyers erected a statue to honor renowned singer Kate Smith, whose rendition of "God Bless America" was played during home games for decades, including the 2018-2019 season.

But on Sunday the Flyers announced they had removed the statue , saying the team had discovered some of her songs contained racist lyrics and sentiments that were "incompatible" with the organization's values.

"The NHL principle 'Hockey is for Everyone' is at the heart of everything the Flyers stand for," Flyers President Paul Holmgren said in a statement. "As a result, we cannot stand idle while material from another era gets in the way of who we are today."

Smith, one of America's biggest singing stars of the early- to mid-20th century, had performed the song before Flyers games in the 1970s . In 1987, the Flyers unveiled a statue of her, which most recently stood across the parking lot from the Wells Fargo Center -- the team's arena -- on the walkway to Xfinity Live, the team said

However, the Flyers announced late last week that they would stop playing Smith's version of the song and cover up her statue.

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