If members of the Boston Red Sox choose to kneel during the national anthem, they will have the full support of their manager.
Ron Roenicke told reporters prior to Boston’s exhibition game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park he wants his players to express themselves as they see fit.
“Obviously a very important topic. As far as I know we don’t have guys who are going to take a knee,” Roenicke said during a video call. “But certainly we will join in with the other concerns. And it’s a very strong statement that we have for this organization and how we feel about the fight on equality. We haven’t told players you have to do anything. We have given them the rights, which is what this country is all about, and the freedom to do what they feel strongly about.”
He continued: “We have said what we think and what we’d like them to do. But we also want to give them the opportunity to express themselves. … This organization is OK with that. If they want to take a knee they can take a knee. … If they want to, we support them.”
San Francisco Giants skipper Gabe Kapler became Major League Baseball’s first manager to kneel with a handful of his players during Monday’s game against the Oakland Athletics.
