The Minnesota Twins honored George Floyd with a moment of silence during Tuesday’s opening game against the St. Louis Cardinals.
With play in the fifth inning, the Twins stopped the action at exactly 8:46 pm local time. Time indicates how long Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer, pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck when Floyd died on May 25.
Floyd was a Minneapolis resident at the time of his death.
The #MNTwins stopped the game at 8:46 pm for a moment of silence in the memory of George Floyd. Floyd was killed after an officer held a knee to his neck for 8 minutes, 46 seconds. pic.twitter.com/2chtQThx0Z
– Do-Hyoung Park (@dohyoungpark) July 29, 2020
Before the game, the teams shared a message of support for the Black Lives Matter movement. The national anthem was performed by Jovonta Patton, a gospel artist and native of Minneapolis.
Several twins were seen kneeling during the hymn. Manager Rocco Baldelli also knelt down.
Sounds of Blackness performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing”, known as the Black National Anthem.
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After Floyd’s death, the Twins have been at the forefront of the social justice movement.
In June, owner Bill Pohlad committed $ 25 million to social justice causes on behalf of the Pohlad Family Foundation.
“Blacks have experienced oppression and racism for too long in this country,” Pohlad wrote in a statement. “We condemn racism in all its forms, and we are firmly committed to helping bring about meaningful change. We know this will take time and effort, and we are committed to this work beyond this seminal moment in our country’s history. “
In addition to the George Floyd tribute, the Twins also honored frontline health workers during the COVID-19 outbreak.
We give a kick to all the heroes working on the frontline of COVID-19, especially these local heroes who launched the first launch tonight. Thank you! pic.twitter.com/ATIf1NGt1o
– Minnesota Twins (@Twins) July 29, 2020
The Twins won the game 6-3 behind home runs by Jorge Polanco and Josh Donaldson.
Even though there were no fans in the stands, they delivered a heartfelt message and a memorable opening game.
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