Yahoo Sports Blue Jays Fans Boo Their Own Pitcher After He Reposted an Anti-LGBTQ+ Video
On Wednesday, baseball fans expressed their displeasure with Blue Jays reliever Anthony Bass
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Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Anthony Bass was booed by fans at his home stadium for reposting an anti-LGBTQ+ video earlier this week.
The reliever, 35, promoted the video without comment on his Instagram Story on Monday. The video was encouraging viewers to boycott Target and Bud Light because they support LGBTQ+ rights, according to multiple sources including Sports Illustrated.
A day later, Bass offered an apology for his actions to reporters.
“I recognize yesterday that I made a post that was hurtful to the Pride community, which includes friends of mine and close family members of mine, and I am truly sorry for that,” Bass said. “I just spoke with my teammates and shared with them my actions yesterday, and apologized with them.”
He continued, “As of right now, I am using the Blue Jays’ resources to better educate myself to make better decisions moving forward. The ballpark is for everybody. We include all fans at the ballpark. We want to welcome everybody. That’s all I have to say.”
Still, by Wednesday, the athlete encountered unfriendly ire when fans at Toronto’s Rogers Centre made their displeasure known upon his entry into the game.
In a video of the incident, many in the stands can be heard booing.
At the same time, Toronto’s iconic CN Tower, which is just outside the stadium, displayed Pride colors in support of those in the LGBTQ+ community, and in honor of Pride Month.
Blue Jays management said Bass would not be disciplined for his actions.
The incident, as Pride Month gets underway, comes as the Los Angeles Dodgers deal with their own ongoing controversy.
Related: LGBTQ+ Reality TV Stars Who Changed the Game
Earlier this week, pitcher Clayton Kershaw drew notice for commenting on the timing of two upcoming promotions at Dodger Stadium.
In response to the Los Angeles Dodgers extending an invitation to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence during an upcoming Pride Night celebration at the park, the nine-time All-Star told the Los Angeles Times that he expedited his own announcement that the ball club would celebrate Christian Faith Day this year — for the first time since 2019.
“I think we were always going to do Christian Faith Day this year, but I think the timing of our announcement was sped up,” Kershaw, 35, told the outlet. “Picking a date and doing those different things was part of it as well. Yes, it was in response to the highlighting of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence [by the Dodgers].”
Last month, the MLB team initially bowed to conservative critics and rescinded its offer to give a Community Hero award to the group, who use “humor and irreverent wit to expose the forces of bigotry, complacency and guilt that chain the human spirit,” according to their website.
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But the Dodgers then reversed the decision last week.
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