Major League Baseball is giving teams the option to have “Black Lives Matter” stenciled on the pitcher’s mound before games during its opening weekend.
The shortened 60-game MLB season opens Thursday evening, with the defending World Series champions, the Washington Nationals, hosting the New York Yankees. Officials with the Nationals said they will stencil “BLM” on the pitcher’s mound during this weekend’s games.
“The Nationals, in conjunction with Major League Baseball, stand with the Black Lives Matter movement and will utilize the platform and national stage of Opening Day to express support for the fight against systemic racism and injustice,” the team said in a statement Wednesday.
All teams hosting games this weekend will also be given the option to display the phrase on the pitcher’s mound.
Since the death of George Floyd in late May, the Black Lives Matter movement has experienced a resurgence in the United States, with massive demonstrations calling for sweeping police reform and an end to systemic racism in government and culture.
Dozens of athletes have expressed support for the movement, and most professional sports leagues have pledged to donate money to the organization and raise awareness about social injustices.
This week, several San Francisco Giants players and manager Gabe Kapler knelt during the national anthem before a scrimmage.
“I wanted them to know that I wasn’t pleased with the way our country has handled police brutality, and I told them I wanted to amplify their voices and I wanted to amplify the voice of the black community and marginalized communities as well,” Kapler said.
The league also announced this week that all teams will wear special patches for racial justice.
President Trump has been critical of both kneeling protests before games and the Black Lives Matter movement, which he said promotes a “hateful” message.
“Looking forward to live sports, but any time I witness a player kneeling during the National Anthem, a sign of great disrespect for our Country and our Flag, the game is over for me!” Trump tweeted this week.
But the game’s biggest stars have said they feel honored to have the ability to use their public platform, and the First Amendment, to promote a cause they believe in.
“That’s the beauty of America, is freedom of speech and freedom to express yourself,” said Yankees slugger Aaron Judge on Tuesday. “We got a special platform being athletes and being able to speak our mind and speak what’s going on in this world. Some people express it online. Some people express it with words. Some people kneel.”
