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St. Louis Cardinals found themselves in the middle of controversy as the team's celebrations were outrightly questioned by baseball and political commentator Keith Olbermann. The tweet was in response to a clip circulating on social media where some players appeared to pay tribute to Donald Trump.
During Sunday's game against the Atlanta Braves, designated hitter Alec Burleson hit a home run to right field. As the DH ran the bases, his team's bench raised their right hand to their ear and raised their left arm which seemed similar to Trump's stance after his assassination attempt during a rally in Pennsylvania.
This seemed to infuriate Olbermann who blasted the Cards for their gesture. In a tweet posted to his account on July 22, the former ESPN and MSNBC analyst asked the league to heavily punish the team for their activity.
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"Attn @mlb ban these guys from baseball for life, confiscate the @Cardinals franchise, and implode the stadium. Cardinals = Trump Nazis, Stick to sports, F**k the St. Louis Cardinals. America has had enough of this s**t," Olbermann wrote.
Olbermann has vehemently opposed Donald Trump's re-election campaign. After the former President was shot, he publicly claimed that there was no bullet and questioned his doctor's medical credibility.
Cardinals players explain their allegedly political celebration
In response to Olbermann's claims, St. Louis clarified that they had no political intent behind the homerun celebration. First baseman Matt Carpenter stated that the gimmick was an internal joke between the players, tied to Burleson's collegiate history.
“Burleson is a former college rapper. He’s been carrying us at the plate,” Carpenter said. “(The celebration) is the furthest thing from a political statement.”
The Cardinals want to put this situation behind them as they try to salvage their season. They currently have a 52-48 record good for 2nd place in the NL Central behind the Milwaukee Brewers.
