WASHINGTON The Yankees players had been talking for weeks about what, if anything, they would do for the national anthem on opening day.
Would they kneel? To be? Anything else?
On Wednesday, the team met and decided on Thursday’s plan to kneel before the hymn, but not during it. They then relayed that plan to the Nationals, who agreed to do the same.
Manager Aaron Boone said the decision to kneel was “highly motivated by the players.”
The move, which included holding the same long black tape, followed a video of black players promoting the Black Lives Matter movement and came after the recording of a speech in which Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman spoke of “unity” and brought “change.”
Yankees players and coaches also wore Black Lives Matter jerseys during batting practice.
“I was proud of the way they handled themselves,” said Boone. “I thought it was a great way to demonstrate and at the same time be aware and respectful of the feelings of many people about it. We thought it was important to our boys that they were united in what they did. “
Boone said he did not believe the players delivered the exact same message that former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick was trying to spread. Kaepernick has said that when he knelt down, something he started doing in 2016, it was to protest against “a country that oppresses blacks and people of color.”
Boone said the team’s statement “speaks for itself,” but explains more.
“This is something that has come together in the past few weeks, from small conversations to walking into a room and chatting as a team,” Boone said. “This was something that we, them, really got to and that everyone was on board. The drive part for our team was important. “
He added that the Yankees players were “quite unified in wanting to represent the anthem.”
Giancarlo Stanton said he saw it as a way to “bring hope” among the players.
“A reason to show that we can all come together at the same time,” said the designated hitter. “I just thought it would be a good idea, powerful enough for everyone to kneel at the same time just to give hope for whatever general reason you want to do it. For racial injustice, for Black Lives Matter, many other things are happening. “
“We have many guys in this clubhouse with many different beliefs and feelings, coming from different walks of life and different countries,” said right fielder Aaron Judge. “We wanted to respect all of that. As a team, we had the united decision to kneel down just before the hymn. ”
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