Mets, Marlins engage in poignant 'Black Lives Matter' protest before postponed game
Members of the New York Mets and Miami Marlins joined in a poignant protest before Thursday's game at Citi Field that was ultimately postponed in the wake of athlete strikes following the shooting of Jacob Blake.
Blake, a Black man, was shot by police officers seven times in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday. He survived but was left paralyzed.
The Mets hadn't released an official lineup, and the scheduled starting pitchers for the clubs never warmed up. Two minutes before first pitch, Mets players, led by first baseman Dominic Smith and outfielder Billy Hamilton, took the field.
Players and coaches from the two teams then emerged from their dugouts and observed a moment of silence. A single baseball was left in the field, and a "Black Lives Matter" shirt was placed over home plate:
The game was called off shortly after the demonstration.
Athlete protests began Wednesday when the Milwaukee Bucks refused to take the court for a Game 5 matchup versus the Orlando Magic. From there, the NBA and WNBA halted play through at least Thursday night.
A majority of Wednesday Major League Soccer matches were postponed, as were handfuls of MLB contests on Wednesday and Thursday. The NHL postponed Thursday and Friday Stanley Cup Playoff fixtures.
Earlier today, a video surfaced where Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen criticized a plan for a "fake" protest allegedly suggested by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred.
Van Wagenen addressed that video via a statement released minutes after the demonstration:
After the demonstration, Mets players discussed their decision to not play the game. Michael Conforto said, "Dom [Smith] is our brother, and we stand behind him."
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