A’s rookie catcher Bruce Maxwell, who earlier in the day profanely bashed President Donald Trump on Instagram, became the first major-league player to kneel during the National Anthem on Saturday before Oakland’s game at the Coliseum.The product of a military family, Maxwell placed his hand on his heart and faced the flag during the anthem while taking a knee before the game against Texas. Teammate Mark Canha placed his hand on Maxwell’s shoulder.
Saturday morning, Maxwell, who is African American, took a strong stand on Instagram against Trump’s remarks about NFL players who choose to kneel during the National Anthem.
After Trump’s comments urging NFL owners to fire any players who kneel for the anthem, Maxwell posted a tweet from Andrew Steinthal that suggested that all NFL players should kneel for the anthem on Sunday. Below the post, Maxwell added in a comment, "Yeah, f- this guy! Our president speaks of inequality of man because players are protesting the anthem! F- this man! Seriously on the highest platform for our country expressing that it is OK for there to be division of man and rights!"
Maxwell was born in Wiesbaden, Germany, when his father, who also is named Bruce, was stationed there with the Army. The younger Maxwell is highly patriotic - he took great pride in the July 4 uniforms and catcher’s gear he received this year - so his decision to kneel appears to be entirely in opposition to Trumps comments and in solidarity with the NFL players who have taken a knee for the anthem.
Maxwell was not in the lineup Saturday because he is going through the concussion protocol after taking a foul ball off the mask Wednesday at Detroit.
While numerous players and athletes in other sports have joined Colin Kaepernick’s anthem protest over the past year, no big-leaguer had done so before Maxwell. A year ago, Baltimore outfielder Adam Jones, who is African American, told USA Today that no major-leaguers had followed suit "because baseball is a white man’s sport."
The percentage of African Americans on Opening Day rosters this year was 7.1 percent, the lowest since 1958, according to USA Today.
― Andy K, Sunday, 24 September 2017 01:22 (six years ago) link