Blue Jays slugger Carlos Delgado stands up to war

[Cocoa]

http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0709-02.htm

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Carlos Delgado is known throughout the baseball world as one of the most feared sluggers in the game. Last year the 32 year old All-Star hit 42 homers and drove in 145 runs. He has averaged almost 40 home runs a year over the last six seasons. With his imposing physical frame, baldhead and gold earring he is one of the most recognizable faces in the game. Lately he has put the baseball world on notice that he will use his fame to fight the US’s war on the world.

In a very sympathetic story on the pages of the Toronto Star, Delgado came public with the fact he won’t stand on the dug out steps for God Bless America. "I never stay outside for `God Bless America,'" Delgado said. "I actually don't think people have noticed it. I don't (stand) because I don't believe it's right, I don't believe in the war."

Delgado also made clear that we won’t stand for the priorities of the US military machine "It's a very terrible thing that happened on September 11,” he said. “It's (also) a terrible thing that happened in Afghanistan and Iraq. I just feel so sad for the families that lost relatives and loved ones in the war. But I think it's the stupidest war ever. Who are you fighting against? You're just getting ambushed now. We have more people dead now, after the war, than during the war. You've been looking for weapons of mass destruction. Where are they at? You've been looking for over a year. Can't find them. I don't support that. I don't support what they do. I think it's just stupid."

Athletes have historically paid a steep price for standing up to the way sports is used to package patriotism and war. In the 1960s, Muhammad Ali was stripped of his heavyweight title for refusing to go to Viet Nam. In 1991 Bulls guard Craig Hodges found himself black balled from the NBA after protesting the Gulf War at a visit to George Bush’s White House with the champion Chicago Bulls. A similar fate befell shooting guard Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf in 1998 when he refused to stand for the National Anthem.

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[MaineDem]

1. Good on ya, Carlos

I'm afraid of what Bud Selig and MLB will do to him, though. Let alone the Neocons and the sheeple.

[flamingyouth]

2. Suddenly I have a whole new respect for Delgado

I always liked him before, but now he's tops in my book.:thumbsup:

[TheFarseer]

3. nobody noticed

because they thought he was just on the DL again.

[jobycom]

4. Picture of courage

The sports world crucifies for such acts of patriotism. He's cost himself millions, and no telling what else. Ali went broke standing for his beliefs, and lost the chance to fight in his prime.

Then again, it's hard to find a more respected athelete now than Ali.

[MasonJar]

5. Bush could be black balled from cheerleading.

[indigobusiness]

6. Carlos is a man of conscience...

as opposed to the torch carrying, flag waving henchmen of the war machine's pep squad.

[hadrons]

7. last MLB player I knew who did this was Lou Whitaker ....

he was a great 2nd baseman for the Tigers in the late 70's and 80's (he was quiet about it; Whitaker refused to stand on the field when the song was sung and stayed in the locker room)

[TedsGarage]

10. Lou was a Jehovah's Witness

They believe saluting the flag is idolatry.

[0007]

8. Bring to mind Chris Jackson - He wouldn't stand for the National Anthem

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf - blackballed from professional basketball

Mahmoud was born Chris Jackson, the son of a white man and a black hospital cafeteria worker, Jacqueline Jackson. Young Chris, who never knew his father, grew up in Gulfport, Mississippi. During his years at Gulfport High, Mahmoud was honored two consecutive times as Mississippi Player of the Year.

Mahmoud excels as a point guard/shooting guard. As a freshman at Louisiana State (LSU), Chris was nothing less than amazing, setting a NCAA freshman record of 55 points in his fifth game against Florida.

During his elementary school years Chris started having symptoms of Tourette's Syndrome, although he was not put on medication until 1987. This ailment makes him a perfectionist, so that he often spends several minutes on routine activities. Like a ritual, he cannot leave the basketball court until he sinks several shots and they all go in perfectly. It is precisely because of this odd behavior that he became valued as one of the most accurate shooters in basketball. At the same time, he has suffered a good deal due to his involuntary outbursts because of people's incorrect assumptions. About his affliction he says:

I bless Allah for everything. I think Tourette's syndrome is a blessing because it enabled me to be a perfectionist. I didn't always think it was a blessing. When I was younger, I used to wonder what was wrong. It got so bad I just couldn't stop it, no matter how hard I tried. I'd finally just lie in bed and cry.

Eventually Mahmoud was drafted by the Denver Nuggets. During his first two years, he played terribly for a variety of reasons. However, during the third year (1992-93) he turned around and was voted the NBA's Most Improved Player. He had the NBA's best free-throw percentage in the 1993-94 season, and in fact he once almost broke the record. He is currently playing shooting guard/point guard and is the Nuggets' highest scorer.

Deeply religious since he was young, Chris embraced Islam during his second year with the Nuggets (1991) and subsequently changed his name to Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf. Islam has given him more maturity and a new perspective on life:

I used to let basketball affect my day . . . . That can't happen no more. I play for Allah. . . . My strength comes from Allah. I have more strength than I ever had, and it's an inner strength.

[Arcturus]

9. I guess I can forgive him...

...for hitting the walk-off home run against the Mariners two days ago.