TAMPA BAY, Fla. (Churchmilitant.com) – Major League Baseball is directing teams to not issue gay-pride jerseys and apparel this year.
Billy Bean
During the Tampa Bay Rays’ annual Pride Night last week, the team did not don its usual LGBT uniforms. The decision was made by the league’s highest-ranking officials.
Billy Bean, senior vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion for Major League Baseball, said, “I think, to the Rays’ credit, after some meaningful conversations, they listened to the suggestion of this office and had a conversation with their players and made their decision.” Bean added, “I think the suggestion from the commissioner was clear.”
Last season, five Rays players — Jason Adam, Jalen Beeks, Brooks Raley, Jeffrey Springs and Ryan Thompson — refused to wear team-issued “pride” uniforms.
The Rays’ 2022 player-led protest was the catalyst for the league’s decision to eliminate all teams’ pride uniforms, not just Tampa Bay’s. According to the Tampa Bay Times, “Under a new MLB directive, players won’t wear rainbow-themed caps or uniform patches, which led to controversy a year ago.”
Stephen Thomas, vice president of DEI for the Rays, said the organization “looked at additional ways to show visibility,” despite the absence of LGBT uniforms this season. As a result, a sign with the words “baseball is for everyone” written in rainbow colors was affixed to the right field wall.
Baseball is for everyone and this is everyone that will start for us today. pic.twitter.com/ZFTtZQ97Ae
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 10, 2023
Every year, every team except the Texas Rangers celebrates Pride Night, and prior to this season, every team was permitted to wear customized pride uniforms.
On Friday, the Dodgers and Giants are playing in the most controversial game of the year, but the controversy has nothing to do with baseball.
Prayerful procession at Dodger Stadium
Tomorrow, on Pride Night, the Dodgers will honor the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a blasphemous drag group whose official motto is “Go forth and sin some more.”
Blake Treinen and Clayton Kershaw are two Dodgers players who have expressed their disapproval verbally but have not refused to play.
Trevor Williams, another Major League Baseball player, has expressed his disapproval of the Dodgers’ decision. Williams has been the most vocal opponent of LGBT propaganda, despite not playing for the Dodgers.
Williams, a self-described devout Catholic, said, “I also encourage my fellow Catholics to reconsider their support of an organization that allows this type of mockery of its fans to occur.”
He sat down with EWTN’s Colm Flynn a few days ago to discuss the anti-Catholic bigotry emanating from his league.
For the first time @MeLlamoTrevor sits down for an interview after his tweet was viewed 20 million times, calling out the LA @Dodgers for honouring a group he says make a blatant and deeply offensive mockery of his religion. pic.twitter.com/Omyre0RYrt
— Colm Flynn (@colmflynnire) June 14, 2023
“We cannot stand idly by while Our Lord gets mocked,” the pitcher for the Washington Nationals said. “When I die … and St. Peter greets me at the gates, he’s not going to ask what your win–loss record was in 2023. He’s going to ask, ‘How did you build the kingdom of Heaven?'”
Tomorrow, despite the Dodgers’ celebration of blasphemy and sacrilege, many Christians will gather in protest through prayer. Church Militant, along with numerous other Catholic organizations, will be present.
Tune in to ChurchMilitant.com tomorrow night at 5:30 p.m. ET for live coverage of the prayerful procession at Dodger Stadium.