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July 24, 2004 Carlos Delgado is a hero, and not because of his play on the field as a first baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays. In fact, he’s in the midst of his worst season as a professional baseball player. No, Delgado is a hero because he is using the influence and notoriety our society has rightly or wrongly bestowed upon him as an athlete to express his views about a worthwhile topic--the ongoing war in Iraq. He has made it known he will not stand along with other players and fans during the playing of “God Bless America” at Major-League ballparks this season to show his opposition to the war. You can disagree with what he’s doing, but at least he’s doing SOMETHING. In fact, this type of political protest is nothing new for Delgado. As a native Puerto Rican, he was heavily involved in the movement to end the U.S. Navy’s use of the island of Vieques as weapons-testing site. And last season, during Spring Training, Delgado reportedly made no secret of his opposition to the U.S. invasion of Iraq. His stance, or lack thereof, with regard to “God Bless America” is merely his way of expressing his views. The Delgado Debate waged heavily this week as he and his Blue Jays teammates visited New York to play the Yankees for the first time this season. While most Major League teams only play “God Bless America” on weekends and holidays, the Yankees play the song at every home game, during the seventh-inning stretch. Delgado’s decision not to stand drew a smattering of boos during his at-bats at the House That Ruth Built on Wednesday and Thursday, but the subtle nature of the act (he simply remains in the dugout while the rest of his teammates stand) forestalled any significant backlash, if one were at hand. Whether you agree with him or not, Delgado is doing the right thing. Now, before zapping me an angry email, allow me to state for the record that I, like Delgado, am opposed to the war in Iraq. I have been since before it started. On the other hand, as a proud Yankees partial season- ticket holder, I stand for the playing of “God Bless America” at every game I attend. I respect my country; I simply disagree with its decision to invade Iraq. I don’t believe the two opinions are antithetical. Delgado and other athletes of his ilk are given a tremendous amount of exposure in our society. Thanks to commercials, we know what deodorant they use; thanks to magazines, newspapers and ESPN, we know every move they make and every woman they date. But when they speak, we rarely hear anything beyond their clichéd take on the games they play and the money they’re paid. As a fellow Manhattan resident, for instance, I’d love to hear Derek Jeter’s take on the homelessness problem in our city, or, at minimum, what he and his teammates think of the possibility of their leaving aging Yankee Stadium for a new home sometime in the future. And since coaches like Bill Parcells and Bob Knight use most of their press conferences as opportunities to show how much smarter they are than sportswriters (I don’t necessarily disagree with them), why don’t they address matters beyond football and basketball? Couldn’t you see Knight (after an anger management course, perhaps) leading an effort to clean up corruption in college athletics? That’s not to say I’d like every athlete and celebrity to speak out on social issues. As every interview with boxer Mike Tyson demonstrates, even freedom of speech should have its limits. Which makes Delgado’s protest all the more perfect. Without saying a word, he is making a point. Not all athletes are qualified to be leaders in society. The Bill Bradley’s of the world are exceptions, not the rule. But, like Delgado, they all have an opportunity to use their influence to take a leadership position on issues that impact us all and, hopefully, in some way effect change. If more of us--athletes and fans alike--did that, the world would be a far better place. ------------ About the author: Brian P. Dunleavy is a freelance sportswriter based in New York. As a regular contributor to The Village Voice’s dearly departed sports section, The Score, he always hoped that the athletes he covered would one day express their opinion on something--anything. It never happened. He can be reached via email at: bpdunleavy@yahoo.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ |
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