The grounds crew tends to the field as the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants postponed the game at Oracle Park in San Francisco, CA., on Tuesday, August 25, 2020 in the wake of the weekend shooting by Wisconsin police of Jacob Blake. (Scot Tucker / SFBay.ca)
The events that unfolded Wednesday will go down in history. The San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers decided to join the sports world in their boycott of games Wednesday night.
Early Wednesday afternoon, the Milwaukee Bucks did not leave their locker room ahead of their scheduled Game 5 against the Orlando Magic. It was reported that they were boycotting the game in protest of continued police brutality, including the recent shooting of Jacob Blake by officers in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
What happened next was a snowball effect of professional sports teams and leagues standing in solidarity with the Bucks. All three of the NBA’s playoff games, including six total teams, agreed to boycott games Wednesday night.
The movement made its way into Major League Baseball.
Prior to Wednesday’s scheduled game, Giants manager Gabe Kapler gave his thoughts on what was happening around sports:
“Some things are bigger than sports, and I don’t think it should require athletes needing to boycott playoff games to remind us Black Lives Matter and that police brutality is unacceptable and that systemic racism needs to be eliminated. What I believe in most is speaking out and taking strong action based on your beliefs.”
After his pre-game press conference, many Giants players and coaches were out on the field stretching and warming up. Shortly after, a group of players and coaches huddled together to discuss a course of action.
Shortly after, both teams, including the bullpens, left the field. Important conversations were happening. Eventually, both teams decided not to play Wednesday night. The second game of the three-game series was been postponed until Thursday, when the teams will play a doubleheader starting at 1p.m.
Major League Baseball issued a statement of support:
“Given the pain in the communities of Wisconsin and beyond following the shooting of Jacob Blake, we respect the decisions of a number of players not to play tonight. [MLB]remains united for change in our society and we will be allies in the fight to end racism and injustice.”
A doubleheader Thursday is now scheduled to make up Wednesday’s postponed game and then complete the series. First pitch for the opening game of the doubleheader will be 1 p.m.
Last modified August 26, 2020 8:29 pm
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