Los Angeles Angels reliever Keynan Middleton knelt and held his right fist in the air before his team’s display against the San Diego Padres. Hundreds of miles up the California coast, members of the San Francisco Giants also knelt before their game.
On Tuesday, the right-hander offered his thoughts on the decision to protest.
“Kneeling down is one way I can use my platform for change peacefully. I have the utmost respect for all the brave men and women who served this country. We must all take this fight against racial injustice seriously. Until things start to change in this country and my brothers and sisters don’t live in fear, I will use my platform to implement the change. … Through this, I strive to be a voice for unity.
“Racism is something I have dealt with all my life. As a black man in this country, it is my obligation to want to improve the future for generations to come. For the past few months I have been participating in the community in peaceful protests and having conversations hard it takes for chance. A black man had no say in the baseball game. The established base and the sacrifices made by Jackie and others is the reason why I have the platform I have. “I will not let that go to waste. ”
Angels manager Joe Maddon told reporters after Monday’s game that Middleton had told him in advance that he wanted to kneel, and the team “fully” supported the decision.
“I am very proud to have defended his beliefs tonight,” Maddon told reporters. I really am. It is not easy to do that, a young man like him is the only one who is doing that. “
Contributing: Associated Press
Follow Chris Bumbaca on Twitter @BOOMbaca.
