Happy Flag Day America
The Washington Post
Saturday, April 22, 2006; 8:59 PM
LOS ANGELES — Rick Monday never tires of answering questions about that memorable day 30 years ago, when he performed his own Patriot Act and unwittingly became an icon to millions of American war heroes and their loved ones.
Monday was playing center field for the Chicago Cubs on April 25, 1976, at Dodger Stadium when he noticed two protesters kneeling on the grass in left-center, intending to burn the American flag. He immediately bolted toward them and snatched it away.
“I was angry when I saw them start to do something to the flag, and I’m glad that I happened to be geographically close enough to do something about it,” said Monday, now in his 13th season as a Dodgers broadcaster.
“What those people were doing, and their concept of what they were trying to do was wrong. That feeling was very strongly reinforced by six years in the United States Marine Corps Reserves. I still think it’s wrong to do that.”
The Dodgers will acknowledge the event before the finale of a nine-game homestand on Sunday, two days before the actual anniversary of it. A video tribute will be shown before the game and Monday will throw out a ceremonial first pitch. On Tuesday, the Houston Astros will honor him as well when the Dodgers play the middle game of a three-game series.
Back in ‘76, Monday was presented with the flag in a ceremony at Wrigley Field by Dodgers executive Al Campanis. It hung in his home in Vero Beach, Fla., until a couple of years ago, when the house sustained severe damage from a hurricane. Now it’s in a safety deposit box.
Monday wouldn’t say how much the flag is insured for, but “you’d have to add a lot of zeros. People have offered an outrageous amount of money for it _ not that it’s for sale.”
The Baseball Hall of Fame recently named Monday’s quick-thinking act as one of the 100 Classic Moments in the history of the game.
What is often unreported is the reaction of the fans in the stadium.В Ed Morrissey at Hot Air has noted this before and gives his thoughts,
The unprompted, extemporaneous response to Monday’s heroics is the often untold story of that day. Over 40,000 baseball fans saw Monday risk his career by grabbing what could easily have been a fireball to rescue the American flag from a couple of asshats, and suddenly it recalled the real patriotism and passion for America that had been missing in 1976. At first in isolated pockets but soon sweeping around the stands like The Wave would later do, Americans stood up and sang “God Bless America” — not prompted by the stadium organist but fueled by love of country.
Thank you Rick Monday!
June 14, 2009
Tags: Flag, Patriotism, Rick Monday, The Greatest Play In Baseball History Posted in: Politics
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