Although President Donald Trump’s speech on Friday, in which he spoke critically of athletes who kneel during the national anthem, in Huntsville, Alabama raised more than few eyebrows, it appeared to be business as usual everywhere throughout Major League Baseball.
Everywhere except at the Oakland Coliseum, where A’s rookie catcher Bruce Maxwell, whose hometown is Huntsville, took a knee during the national anthem. After the game, Maxwell said he knelt for the people without a voice and to bring attention to the racism in this country.
Berkeley native and A’s analyst Shooty Babitt shared his thoughts on Maxwell’s situation with Gary & Larry Monday afternoon.
“He’s a man that stood up and spoke how he felt. He did not, in my opinion, do anything to assonate his own character,” Babitt said. “He’s just saying something about everything else that’s going on in society and first of all, this is all just my own opinion. I don’t think anyone has room to criticize anybody that’s trying to speak up or talk about the good of anything, especially if you aren’t doing anything for the cause yourself to try and make it better.”
The back of his baseball card reads that Maxwell was selected in the second round by the A’s in 2012 and he is batting .244 with three home runs in 71 games this season.
What his baseball card also says is that the 26-year-old is only in his second year in the major leagues, appearing in 104 total games.
“The thing is, he’s a rookie, man,” Babitt said. “He’s only been in the league for two months and he can have his career taken away from him.
Just over a year ago, another rising Bay Area sports star also knelt during the national anthem. Former 49ers’ quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee during the national anthem because of police brutality and the oppression of minorities.
Kaepernick’s actions proved to be a major turning point in his football career. After finishing the year, he opted out his contract with the 49ers and has yet to find another NFL employer.
“Look at the NFL, no matter what owner thinks of giving this young man [Kaepernick] a job because of the union and what they do as a group of owners, this kid will not get a job just because that’s what they do,” Babbit said. “So who knows what will happen to Bruce Maxwell in baseball.”
To listen to the full interview check out the podcast below, and skip to 1:20 for Babitt on Maxwell.