Oakland A’s boycott Thursday’s game vs. Texas Rangers after Jacob Blake shooting
The Texas Rangers agreed to not play their scheduled game Thursday night after the Oakland A’s opted to boycott the finale of a scheduled four-game series to bring more attention to racial injustice following the Jacob Blake police shooting in Wisconsin.
The teams played Wednesday as the NBA, led by the Milwaukee Bucks, boycotted its three playoff games. The Milwaukee Brewers and five other MLB teams followed suit, and players from other teams chose to not play.
Rangers manager Chris Woodward said there was some uncertainty Wednesday as the A’s discussed the situation. Oakland manager Bob Melvin said the team didn’t have enough time to make a final decision, so they chose to play and tabled the discussion until Thursday.
“We respect the decision by the Oakland A’s players to postpone tonight’s game,” the Rangers said in a statement. “We stand with all those who condemn racial injustice and are committed to helping bring about an end to systemic racism.”
The A’s return to Globe Life Field on Sept. 11-13, and the game will be made up Sept. 12 as part of a doubleheader that begins at 4 p.m. Thursday’s had been selected by Fox Sports as part of its national TV package.
Oakland has three Black players on its active roster — Marcus Semien, Tony Kemp and Khris Davis — and the Rangers have one, left-hander Taylor Hearn. Outfielder Willie Calhoun, who is on the injured list, is also Black, as are coaches Tony Beasley and Callix Crabbe.
Calhoun took to social media Thursday to express his feelings, writing in an Instagram post that he wants to use his platform and his voice to make the world “a better place for ALL.”
“It breaks my heart that it is 2020 and we are still talking about RACISM!” Calhoun said. “As I reflect back on recent acts of racial injustice and prejudice that our country has been faced with, I challenged myself to not only see what I can do to effectively make a change, but also bring awareness to what others may face during these difficult times.”
Beasley indicated the Rangers wanted to play Thursday, but said to not judge their willingness to play as a slight toward societal issues. He said the Rangers are having frequent discussions and using the extra time during their COVID-19 safety protocols to put ideas together on how to move forward once they are allowed to interact outside of the team and their families.
Supporting the A’s and being aware of what their players are feeling is part of that process.
“Players have a lot of resources at this level financially. Players’ faces mean something to our fans and out in the community,” Beasley said. “We’re on strict protocols here, so all we’re capable of doing here is making sure that we’re laying the groundwork within the clubhouse so that when the temperature is right we can go into the community and really have an impact.”
MLB will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day on Friday, honoring the first player to break through baseball’s color barrier on April 15, 1947. All uniformed personnel will wear No. 42, which Robinson wore with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
The Rangers will play host to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation and Germania Insurance have partnered to donate $42,000 to several organizations, including The Jackie Robinson Foundation, Impact Venture, 100 Black Men of Dallas and Fort Worth, Interfaith Ministries, and the NAACP chapters of Arlington, Dallas and Fort Worth.
Pregame ceremonies will feature recorded first pitches by Jonathan Kidd, a Dodgers Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholar alumnus and Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy scholar-athletes Gregory and Greylon Lawrence.
Paul Rogers, who performed the national anthem for the season’s second game on July 25, will return for a live rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner on Friday night.
Players and coaches on both clubs have collaborated on a video that honors Robinson and will also be shown before the game at Globe Life Field.
The cardboard DoppelRangers will feature Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholars and Texas Rangers MLB Youth Academy youngsters.
This story was originally published August 27, 2020 at 2:25 PM.
