This is about as trivial of a question as you can get, but here it goes:
If you’ve watched the Major League Baseball games over the past couple of night, you’ve noticed that US flags have been stitched onto the uniforms. The flags have also been added to caps. Presumably everyone is wearing a new cap (as opposed to having the flags stitched onto their old ones). But I’m not sure what’s going on with the batting helmets. All of the hitters had flags on their helmets in yesterday’s Yankee-White Sox game. But some of them just seemed too dirty to appear brand new. So I thought that perhaps they just stuck stickers of the flag onto their old helmets. My friend insists that they HAD to be brand new. He noticed that the flags for each team were exactly in the same spot on the helmet (For the Yankees, the flag was directly above the ear-hole, while for the Sox, it was slightly behind this spot.)
So, does anyone know? If so, do you have a link that proves this so that our very important question is answered? Thanks in advance.
I can tell you that even if they were new, many players like their helmets to be dirty or scuffed (baseball players are the most superstitious creatures in the universe) so they go ahead and dirty up their brand new helmets before the game. I’m not sure if all helmets were brand new or not, but the dirt wouldn’t necessarily preclude it.
I saw a clip on the news yesterday of Ichiro and his teammates all putting flag stickers on their batting helmets. They seemed to be taking care to put them in the same spot.
As for the caps, the White Sox caps were not ready in time for last night’s game, so from what I heard, their caps did not have the flags on them.
Any emblem that was recently placed on a batting helmet would almost immediately appear dirty. Pine tar on bat handles gets transferred to batting gloves, and when players remove the helmet, the helmet gets a fresh dose of pine tar.
Perhaps Ray Durham did a little “distressing” of the helmets after his apparent double was ruled a foul ball. Talk about a blown call, and I’m a Yankees fan.
While I didn’t get to see the game (I moved out of NYC a few years ago), at least WGN showed the opening ceremony. I was quite touched to see Chicago’s show of support. You guys are great.
Was the putting of flags on the uniforms a decision from the MLB Commission, or an individual decision by each team? Can players opt out of not wearing the flag?
And what of the Toronto Blue Jays and other Canadian teams? Can they have a Canadian flag?
In any event, how long will these flags stay? Are they a show of support for the Americans who suffered such a terrifying blow last week? Or a statement that America stands united even beyond the tragedy into future conflicts?
Times like these make you wonder if there couldn’t be a symbol worn that symbolizes the free world, since that is what President Bush himself said was attacked this past week.
The Commissioner ordered the addition of flags to the uniforms. I suppose a player could opt not to wear one, but there would be some pretty serious repercussions from that from a PR standpoint, if not a personal safety standpoint.
An American flag was chosen because the attacks were in the US. If the terrorists had decided to crash into SkyDome, I’m sure there would be Canadian flags on players uniforms.
The location of the team isn’t that much of a factor when you consider the significant percentage of players who are from other countries.
I believe the flags are supposed to be on the uniforms at least through the end of the season. As is the singing of “God Bless America” during the 7th inning stretch instead of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.”
I’m really glad to see them doing this. We all deal with our grief in different ways but last night when they sang the Star Spangled Banner and God Bless America I was finally able to let go with everything I’d been holding inside. Anybody got a WetVac?
Hey, how about an answer to that flag code question? I have to admit, I never knew about that provision relating to our flag, although it makes sense. How the hell did the commish get this done, in light of that?
Any knowledgable Dopers have the answer?
PS- You can still wear it on a t-shirt or whatever as a private citizen, because your clothing would not ordinarily be defined as a costume or athletic uniform.
The Flag Code, while part of the U.S. Code, has no enforcement provisions, no criminal penalties, and is mostly a set of suggestions that some people got added to the U.S. Code.
If you “violated” a portion of it, there is nothing the government can do to you.
Hey Alzarian. What’s up, dude? You seem to be one of those people who are all for free speech in the shape of burning Old Glory but against those like John Rocker earning his bread after saying nitwity things. You got a prob with the American flag flying, stuck on batting helmets?, then shuffle off to Afghanistan.
And what’s so adverse to Canadians wearing the American banner? I’d be proud to wear the flag of my northern friends (or any country) under any such circumstance. I doubt I’d develop a deadly rash or anything like that.
I believe it technically dictates how the federal government displays its own flags. I can fly my own flag any damn way I please, even upside down, and could even burn it in protest. Not that I would, but I could.
Then again, I pity whatever poor fool gets seen burning a US flag right now. Not enough to visit him in the hospital afterwards, though.
Tough call, IMO. MLB could be considered a “patriotic organization”; not an organization designed to promote patriotism (as the code probably meant), but an organization who is filled with patriots.
I watched the Giants/Astros game on TV tonight and they sang God Bless America followed by Take Me Out to the Ballgame. I heard that televised games through the end of the season will also broadcast the National Anthem.