The DEATH - of America's pastime

"I am not just picking on MLB. The same will go for the Vikings this fall, the Wolves, the Wild, or even that soccer team. You disrespect the country, the flag, the anthem - we are done. They can pander all they want to whomever they want - it just won't be to me." 

I am mourning the loss of a friend today. A lifetime friend. A lifetime friend who decided to go rogue, and commit a form of suicide. Yes, I am talking about the Minnesota Twins. This is the team I have followed since 1961, when I was 11 years old. I would listen to the games, lying in my bed, through an earpiece coming out of my transistor radio. Most of the games were on WCCO radio, AM 830. I knew the names of the players by heart, their positions, and even some stats. I knew who the announcers were. Ray Scott, Hal Scott, Herb Carnell. The Twins were part of the American pastime. I sure know they were part of my pastime.

But that all came to a crashing end this COVID - 19 shortened season. My love affair with the Twins came to an end. Why? They joined "pander-fest" with most of the other MLB teams. They decided that paying homage to Black Lives Matter, was more important than our flag or anthem. In short, they disrespected our flag, our country, our heritage, and the history of baseball. Abner Doubleday must be spinning in his grave.

I am not the only one who felt jilted yesterday. Thousands of other citizens and patriots, shed a tear when their favorite team "sold out" in the season openers. It is a damn good thing no crowds were present to see this mess. The cut-outs and the fake crowd noise don't boo. Many of the real fans would have. Fair minded citizens and patriots know that black lives matter as much as any other life does. The organization of Black Lives Matter however, is not as honest and pure. Don't believe me? Read up on it.

Could I have tolerated a moment of silence before or after the anthem was played? A moment to recognize some of the past injustices in our country? Maybe. But I for one think the good this country has done has far out measured any bad. Truth. America is not a perfect country, but a very good country indeed. So good in fact, if people don't want to live here, the door is open to leave. That includes all those millionaire baseball players who were kneeling to disrespect this country, who made them millionaires.

It is going to take a whole lot of mea culpas by MLB to get me back as a fan. President Trump told the truth when he said he would not watch a game where the players disrespected our flag and/or anthem. Many of us agree with him. If enough people get fed up with this bunch of overpaid crybabies, maybe there will be few too few left to pay their inflated salaries. Maybe that is the karma which will cover MLB like a blanket, snuffing out the flame of their one time success.

I am not just picking on MLB. The same will go for the Vikings this fall, the Wolves, the Wild, or even that soccer team. You disrespect the country, the flag, the anthem - we are done. They can pander all they want to whomever they want - it just won't be to me.