Baseball fans accused Major League Baseball (MLB) of dropping the ball after the league threatened to discipline San Francisco Giants players who wrote Bible verses on their caps for the team’s “Pride Night.”
Fox News Digital spoke to Texas Rangers fans at the team’s “Faith and Family” game Thursday to get their reactions as Major League Baseball faces mounting backlash over its response, with critics arguing the league’s embrace of progressive social causes is alienating its fanbase.
The Rangers are currently the lone holdout among MLB franchises to not host an official Pride Night, choosing instead to host their annual Faith & Family Night event at Globe Life Field. Many in attendance celebrated the family-friendly event centered on community.
“I’m so thankful that the Rangers are recognizing family, faith, and everything good about this country,” said Terry from Bedford, Texas.
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However, the ongoing controversy surrounding the San Francisco Giants was top of mind for many Texas fans.
The backlash follows an incident last Friday where three Giants players — Landen Roupp, J.T. Brubaker, and Ryan Walker — wrote a passage from Genesis 9 on their franchise “Pride Night” caps. The verses reference the rainbow as a sign of God’s covenant with humanity to never again flood the world, as described in the Bible.
Major League Baseball issued a statement following the incident, asserting that the players had violated uniform rules and warning them against future violations. The San Francisco Giants also issued a statement reaffirming the team’s support for Pride Night and the LGBTQ+ community, apologizing for its players’ actions and claiming they “caused pain and anger to many in the LGBTQ+ community.”
Rangers fans expressed strong support for the Giants players’ right to express their faith.
“I don’t think that they should be punished for putting Bible verses on their hat when they’re being told to put on Pride logos on their hat already,” Nathan said.
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Todd from Waxahachie, Texas, agreed with the players’ faith message and felt the league should be supporting free speech.
“I think it’s about re-centering on what a rainbow means; It’s a promise from God that he would never flood the earth again,” he said. “So, I think that it also supports freedom of speech as well.”
Other fans from across the Lone Star State echoed those sentiments.
Chance from Dallas said he didn’t support punishing players for expressing their personal beliefs.
“I don’t think they should be fined for it or anything,” he said.
“I hate how they are getting in trouble for doing that,” Zant, from Midland, agreed.
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Rangers fans also expressed concerns that the league was unfairly targeting Christian players.
“Everyone has their own belief system, their own faith system, whether it’s for Pride Month or for religious beliefs,” Emily from Rockwall, Texas, said. “And I think we all should be allowed to support what we believe in.”
Christopher from Fort Worth called MLB’s actions “unfair,” while Todd from Waxahachie, felt the league was caving to “societal pressures.”
“In a sense, I feel like they’re folding to societal pressures,” he said. “I think if we truly believe in living in the land of the free, home of the brave, people should be brave enough and free enough to stand up for what they believe in.”
Terry added that baseball should stick to — well — baseball.
“Let’s keep these controversies out of sports. We’re all here to enjoy baseball as it should be.”
MLB and the Giants did not immediately return Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
MLB isn’t the only professional baseball league drawing attention for its conflicts with athletes over its “Pride Night” events this month.
On Thursday, the York Revolution of the professional baseball Atlantic League said it was forfeiting its Thursday game after players refused to wear LGBTQ-themed jerseys for the league’s Pride Night. The team also issued a scathing statement criticizing its players who refused to wear the jerseys and said it would be donating $10,000 to an LGBTQ organization, “as a small token of our regret for the last-minute change of plans and support for our LGBTQIA+ representing partners.”
Fox News’ Alba Cuebas-Fantauzzi and Adam Pack contributed to this report.
