During the Chicago Cubs game against the Houston Astros on Wednesday, April 24, Major Leauge Baseball (MLB) player Luke Little, on the Chicago Cubs, had to follow orders from the game’s umpires and ditch his glove, which featured a small American flag on it. Apparently, the incident, which took place around the game’s 7th inning, occurred when the game’s umpires looked Little over as he headed onto he field. Seeing his glove with its American flag patch, they told him he would not be allowed to play because of the patch, so he would need a new glove.
Little was only recently called up to the MLB from minor league ball, with the Cubs announcing on April 20, “Cubs The #Cubs recalled LHP Luke Little from @IowaCubs as the club’s “27th man” for today’s doubleheader against the Miami Marlins.” Chicago won the Wednesday game 4 to 3.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell, commenting on why the umpires took issue with Little’s glove, said, “The issue was the American flag was on his glove.” Continuing, Counsel explained, “Pitchers’ gloves, they’re pretty strict about not having white on the pitchers’ gloves. Apparently, the flag had what could be a distraction to the hitter.”
So, the Cubs clubhouse had to search for a replacement glove for Little. The first one they found was problematic for the same reason as his normal glove, featuring a small, American flag. They then found a second replacement without an American flag, but it was not broken in. Little, commenting on that aspect of the situation, saying, “I had to beat it a little bit, try and get it flexed out. Of all the things to do is breaking in a glove during a game.”
Little took to X (formerly Twitter) after the incident, saying, “Proud to be an American 🇺🇸 Go Cubs Go.” Replying, one commenter wrote, “Pretty sad commentary when masculinity and pride for our country have gone into the pooper. Can you imagine pulling a baseball glove out of a American baseball game because of a flag? We are so pathetic anymore. It’s an embarrassment.”
Pushing back on that characterization of the matter in another comment, a different commenter said, “It wasn’t because of the flag in and of itself, it was because of the white on the flag. What is more important: the safety of the hitters not having any more white than absolutely necessary or displaying the Old Glory? That’s easy in my book and I’m a Red White and Blue Patriot!”
Similarly, yet another commenter wrote, “I learned in Little League that your glove was to have no white on it. Also not allowed white sleeves or wristbands. How do you know what’s distracting to a player when a white ball is being thrown at 100m/h? They have a split second to swing, or possibly duck.”
Little, for his part, said, “The cubbies told me that they had got an email from MLB that I’m not allowed to wear it. But I just didn’t assume that they were just going to just cut me. It’s not like it has an advantage in the game. It’s not like it blinds the hitters. Just representing my country. Just a whole debacle. Got to get ready without it and throw through it.”
Watch the incident here:
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video
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