(OAKLAND, Calif.) — Bruce Maxwell of the Oakland Athletics has become the first Major League Baseball player to kneel during the national anthem.
Maxwell commented about President Trump’s comments regarding NFL players kneeling for the anthem on Twitter Saturday, then acted on it in his game against the Texas Rangers that night.
Don't be surprised if you start seeing athletes kneeling in other sports now!! Comments like that coming from our president. WOW! ✊????✊????✊????
— Bruce T Maxwell (@bruu_truu13) September 23, 2017
Maxwell dropped to a knee just outside Oakland’s dugout on Saturday, adopting a protest started by former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick in response to police treatment of blacks. Maxwell’s teammates stood in a line next to him. Teammate Mark Canha, who is white, put his right hand on one of Maxwell’s shoulders.
The Athletics released a statement on Twitter shortly after the anthem, saying they “respect and support all of our players’ constitutional rights and freedom of expression.”
— Oakland A’s ????????⚾️ (@Athletics) September 24, 2017
Maxwell’s protest comes after President Donald Trump denounced protests by NFL players and rescinded a White House invitation for NBA champion Stephen Curry in a two-day rant that targeted top professional athletes.
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