The Atlanta Braves are in the World Series — and won the first game Tuesday night — which is the perfect opportunity for us to thumb our noses at Major League Baseball. If you need a refresher as to why Braves fans everywhere have a beef with MLB, let’s hop in the Wayback Machine and take a look.
You may remember back in the spring when Georgia passed its voting rights bill, which extended voting opportunities while tightening security. The Left actually pounced the way they accuse conservatives of doing, mischaracterizing the law as one that would disenfranchise minorities.
Major League Baseball virtue-signalled in a big way, moving the 2021 All-Star Game from Atlanta’s beautiful ballpark to Colorado. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred issued a statement at the time:
“Over the last week, we have engaged in thoughtful conversations with Clubs, former and current players, the Players Association, and The Players Alliance, among others, to listen to their views,” Manfred said in his statement. “I have decided that the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport is by relocating this year’s All-Star Game and MLB Draft.
“Major League Baseball fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions to the ballot box. In 2020, MLB became the first professional sports league to join the non-partisan Civic Alliance to help build a future in which everyone participates in shaping the United States. We proudly used our platform to encourage baseball fans and communities throughout our country to perform their civic duty and actively participate in the voting process. Fair access to voting continues to have our game’s unwavering support.”
The move cost businesses in Cobb County, the location of Atlanta’s Truist Park and the Battery, an business and entertainment area that surrounds the park, an estimated $100 million. A group of businesspeople sued MLB. Yet the game stayed in Colorado.
Many of us Braves fans mused how funny it would be if the Braves made it to the World Series after the All-Star Game moved from Atlanta. It didn’t look good for most of the season, as the Braves didn’t even have a winning record until August, but they clawed their way in and made it to the World Series.
The Braves trip to the World Series isn’t lost on Georgia’s conservatives. Governor Brian Kemp used the occasion to put in a dig at professional grievance monger and wannabe governor Stacey Abrams for her efforts to denigrate the voting law, and of course the dolts at CNN accused Kemp of sowing “division.”
But one of the best moments has come when Manfred has backtracked on the Braves. After hating on the entire state of Georgia, Manfred has changed his tune on the Braves and their iconic imagery and the Chop, a form of celebration which some have claimed is offensive to Native Americans.
Manfred said:
“It’s important to understand that we have 30 markets around the country,” Manfred added. “They aren’t all the same. … The Native American community in that region is wholly supportive of the Braves program, including ‘The Chop.’ For me, that’s kind of the end of the story. In that market, we’re taking into account the Native American community.”
And added:
“We don’t market our game on a nationwide basis. Ours is an everyday game,” Manfred continued. “You’ve gotta sell tickets every single day to the fans in that market. And there are all sorts of differences between the regions in terms of how the teams are marketed.”
Manfred has also said that he won’t force the Braves to change their name or branding.
The truth is that the Braves have done incredible outreach to the Native American community, even hosting a special night honoring the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians back in July.
The World Series began in Houston, the home of the Astros — that’s right, in Texas, another state problematic to the woke mob — but it will make its way to Atlanta for Game 3. It’ll be interesting to see how the fans and the community react to the presence of Manfred and the sports media who dumped on Atlanta back in the spring.
Until then, Go Braves!
Source: PJ Media
