CLEVELAND, Ohio – Several Indians players knelt on Friday night in MLB support for the Black Lives Matter movement and a moment of silence for coronavirus victims before playing the season opener against the Royals at Progressive Field. .
The kneeling players included Francisco Lindor, Greg Allen, Mike Clevinger, Carlos Santana, Daniel Johnson, Franmil Reyes and Delino DeShields.
When the National Anthem was played, everyone stood up.
A black ribbon stretched from first base to the base plate to third base during pregame introductions. It represented MLB’s call to support the Black Lives Matter movement. Players held the tape while playing the hymn.
During the anthem, the long line of Indians players, coaches, and staff members put their left hand on the companion’s shoulder next to them. The Indians began doing that during their three-game exhibition series against the Pirates at the end of Spring Training II.
Lindor said it was his way of being respectful of the flag and anthem while showing his support for BLM and other minorities.
Indian players wore black and white jerseys that said “End Racism” during batting practice. During the game, they wore their blue road jerseys with the “Cleveland” block on the chest instead of the white t-shirts from their home with “Indians” on the chest. Not only were the Indians supporting BLM, but they were also making a statement that the Indians should change their name.
Clevinger, who will start the second game of the season on Saturday, was asked before the game if the players should kneel before the start of the season.
“No. I think it depends on everyone’s decision,” he said. “No one is in a place to tell anyone what not to do. That is freedom and I think our soldiers fought for the right to do it. It is their right to protest. and if that’s what they feel they need to do to protest, then that’s their decision. “
Lindor was asked before the game about wearing the “End Racism” shirts.
“So we talked, we had a meeting, a player meeting,” said Lindor. “We wanted to do something, we wanted to make the world aware and make everyone know that we are on the same page as them, we feel them, we know that these are different times and that the change is due.
“As a team, as the great platform that we all have, we are responsible for raising awareness and making the world know that we have to end racism. We have a great focus to bring that awareness to the world. We don’t have to go out and fight, but nonviolent protests like this are huge, to be able to fight the fight without bringing violence and just express our feelings, it’s a big part of what we do. “
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