Rick Monday is known in baseball history for two things: being the first player ever selected in an MLB amateur draft (1965), and rescuing the American flag from being burned at Dodger Stadium, as shown above.
It was the bottom of the 4th Inning, and the Dodgers were just about to step up to bat. Suddenly, a father and son ran out onto the field with an American flag and a can of charcoal lighter fluid. They doused the flag in the lighter fluid, then attempted to set it on fire. As luck would have it, the wind conditions were a little too strong to keep the matches lit. It was at this time when Rick Monday swooped in and snatched up the flag before the two protesters could successfully burn it. Shortly afterward, ballpark security escorted the trespassers off the field. According to Rick Monday, they were given two years’ probation and a fine of $80 each.
The following season, Rick Monday would join the Dodgers, and he remained with the team until his retirement, in 1984. Currently he is a broadcaster for the Dodgers, primarily providing color analysis, and occasionally play-by-play.
As for the flag, he still has it. He uses it during fundraisers and other public appearances. He has received offers upwards of $2 million, which he has turned down. He has even received an offer by the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, to place the flag on permanent display. Again, he respectfully declined.
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Based as it gets🇺🇸
BDE
I was there!
Classic Reddit, to have 8th grade snarky take of being pro trespassing and committing arson during a baseball game lol
This was pre Simpsons, so sadly it is unlikely he said “yoink!” while grabbing it.
Watched that game and celebrated “Rick Monday Day” at school. Remember this well.
Did the father and son cite a reason for wanting to stage this protest?
I so remember this. I was rhere!
I remember that!
Most of Reddit will hate this lol
#SunDevil
Back on topic, the crowd sang God Bless America after he took the National Colors to the Dodgers dugout. He received a standing ovation when he came to the plate in the fifth inning.
Having spent six years in the marine Corps Reserves get got to keep the flag and took the flag around the country while raising over 500k for military charities. His spot on statement about what he did was, “The flag represents the rights and freedoms we all enjoy in this country”.
RULING Yes. REASONING (5-4) The majority of the Court, according to Justice William Brennan, agreed with Johnson and held that flag burning constitutes a form of “symbolic speech” that is protected by the First Amendment.
Lol probably because of the treatment of Vietnam Vets.
The hell were they protesting a year after Vietnam ended?
But did the flag touch the ground? Since the two on the right are kneeling, my hunch is yes.
Thank god he was there to rescue a flag..
TL/DR: Despite what many of you think, this isn’t a free speech issue.
Okay, it looks like I need to address the elephant in the room.
It seems that more than a few of you disagree with what is presented in the photo. Some have even claimed that Rick Monday was the bad guy for violating the First Amendment rights of the protesters.
Let me be clear: The First Amendment does *not* apply.
Why? The protesters violated the terms and conditions of their tickets, as well as the stadium’s code of conduct, by entering the field during the game. Dodger Stadium, like all other sports venues, is private property, accessible by the general public for admission fees established by the venue itself. The playing field/surface itself, however, is off limits to the general public.
Also, in 1976, burning an American flag was still considered an illegal act in the United States. This was changed in 1989, when the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, ruled in Texas v. Johnson that burning the Flag is considered free speech.
But getting back to that private property thing, what happened was two people entered the field of play while players were on the field. This is an automatic trespassing violation. They attempted their protest on private property, and therefore were subject to rules in place on that property.
Also, there’s another factor most, if not all, of you failed to consider. Had they succeeded in burning that flag, they also would have set the field itself on fire. That field is grass, and grass burns. This is, at best, vandalism, and definitely arson. Also, the game itself would have been disrupted, and possibly called off, as a result.
I saw someone else throw up the adage that freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequence. If you want to burn the American Flag, you have the right to do so. But if you trespass onto a restricted area to do it, you are subject to the rules of that property and local laws. Remember that.
Thank you.
It’s ironic how I would probably respect, appreciate, and understand the opinions of the United States more from people who are burning flags than the ones who brandish them these days… they’re probably more artistic too
these were the days when athletes stood for the National anthem
Now liberals would call him a facist…
Montreal Expos know he was most famous for his home run in the 1981 NLCS.
Forever known in Montreal as. Blue Monday.
When ther was actually love for out nation and respect for what we all represent. It Hurts to see people easily separate what was a struggle to put together
HELL YEAH, BROTHER!
Dude was also the official voice of “we’ll get the end of the game on the radio, let’s beat traffic” as my dad tried to fullback his way out of the Dodger Stadium parking lot in the bottom of the 8th growing up in LA.
Dude was always a great follow up to Vin in the late innings he didn’t stay up for.
[ Removed by Reddit ]
If only Americans cared as much about the safety of kids in schools as they do about a bit of material with lines and stars on it
Cue the commies.
I used to have Rick Monday’s autograph on my baseball mitt when I was in little league.
Rick Monday, American Legend
🇺🇸 no kneeling here boys 🇺🇸
Today, we desecrate the flag by scratching multiple colors on it for political purposes. Just don’t disrespect the flag by taking a knee during National Anthem. Confused world were living in.
now more people are passionate about burning the flag, like cool, but do it on your own time. Not at a baseball game