Tonight at Yankee Stadium, when God Bless America plays during the seventh inning stretch, one member of the Toronto Blue Jays will remain in the dugout in silent protest -- Carlos Delgado:
Last March when the United States invaded Iraq, Delgado, in his own quiet way, said that for him, enough was enough. He had stood for "God Bless America" through the 2003 season but vowed not to do so this season. In an act of a simple, mostly unnoticed, protest against the war, Delgado, a 32-year-old first baseman, has chosen to remain in the dugout while "God Bless America" is played. . ."I'm not trying to get anyone mad," he said Monday in Oakland, where the Blue Jays were playing the Athletics. "This is my personal feeling. I don't want to draw attention to myself or go out of my way to protest. If I make the last out of the seventh inning, I'll stand there. But I'd rather be in the dugout."
Though I disagree with the content of Delgado's protest, I can't really quibble with the manner of it -- which can only be described as quiet and respectful. So quiet, in fact, that Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig was unaware of it before Bill Rhoden of the New York Times called to ask about it.
UPDATE: There are some days when all is right with the world. And then there are others where you find yourself agreeing with Jim Rome:
"He's anti-war, so he sits," Rome said in defending the slugger's stance to listeners, many of whom phoned in their outrage. "Am I thrilled to see it? No. Am I offended and do I think he's the enemy because of it? No. He's anti-war, not anti-America."
Don't be surprised if a smattering of boos greets Delgado when he steps to the plate tonight. After all, it's the American way.
I never really liked God Bless America as a song anyways. The national anthem is enough.
But the fans could be fickle with multi-millionaire athletes waxing political. At least Delgado is respectful.
Why do I suspect this will be one of the lead stories for the CBC and the Globe & Mail tomorrow morning? lol