Players on both the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros stood as the national anthem was played Tuesday evening before the start the first game of the World Series at Dodger Stadium.
Though there was some chatter about it, none of the Dodgers had planned to take a knee in protest, as some NFL players have done this season, according to TMZ Sports.
Go time. #WorldSeries #AFflyover pic.twitter.com/AXf1vGwAvC
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 25, 2017
No MLB players have protested the national anthem, except for Oakland Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained his view of the potential protests last month.
#Dodgers 1, #Astros 0 | Mid 2 pic.twitter.com/YriMnimeqE
— Houston Astros (@astros) October 25, 2017
Dave Roberts, manager of the Dodgers, expressed last month he would have a problem if his players knelt for the anthem, and encouraged players to be educated on the issue.
“Personally, yeah, I’d have a problem because my father served this country for 30 years and I understand — I can appreciate any player’s individual, however they act, and that’s personal,” he said in a statement. “But I would just ask every person to really be educated. When you make a point, something like that — and it’s been in baseball. It’s been in sports. But the thing is, really think long and hard, and really be educated on why you’re doing what you’re doing. After that it’s each individual player’s decision.”
Former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick spearheaded the kneeling demonstrations in the NFL last season during the national anthem to protest the treatment of African American and minorities in the U.S. and police brutality. A number of players followed suit.
President Trump rekindled the issue last month calling for football players who take a knee during the national anthem to be fired. A large number of demonstrations followed.
