The Astros became the 21st MLB team to boycott a game this week in protest of racial injustice in the U.S. and the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by police in Kenosha, Wis.
They chose not to play Friday night at Minute Maid Park against the Athletics.
Houston players took their positions prior to the scheduled first pitch. Then, A's shortstop Marcus Semien and Astros catcher Martin Maldonado placed a jersey bearing Jackie Robinson's retired No. 42 in the right-handed and left-handed batter's boxes. A Black Lives Matter shirt was placed on home plate.
A 42-second moment of silence followed as the teams stood outside their dugouts. They then left the field.
— Houston Astros (@astros) August 29, 2020
Friday was Jackie Robinson Day across MLB. Baseball every year commemorates Robinson ending segregation in the major leagues in 1947.
"Jackie did a lot of great things, but I think he'd want more," Astros outfielder Michael Brantley, who is Black, told reporters, per the Houston Chronicle. "I think taking a stand and having these conversations is going to help us do more."
The Astros' Dusty Baker is one of two Black managers in MLB, along with Dave Roberts of the Dodgers.
"For a while there, it had gotten away from being America's game," Baker said after the walkoff, per the Houston Chronicle. "This brought it back full circle … This is definitely America's game. America belongs to all of us, no matter if you got here early or late. We're all Americans and we've all had a hand in building this country, and we've probably all had a hand in tearing some of it down. Now it's time to rebuild it back again."
FAGAN: Consider listening for once instead of raging about protests
The display in Houston was similar to what the Marlins and Mets devised Thursday night in New York, where a Black Lives Matter T-shirt was placed on home plate.
"We are proud of our players' efforts to use their voices to drive necessary change," the Astros said in a statement. "The Astros and A's will proudly celebrate Jackie Robinson Day tomorrow (Saturday) when play is resumed."
This was the second consecutive day the A's were part of a boycott. Their game Thursday against the Rangers in Arlington, Texas, was also postponed.
MLB players are following the lead of the NBA, where Bucks players staged a walkout prior to their scheduled playoff game Wednesday. All NBA postseason games have been postponed through Friday as players decided whether to return to the court at all. Eleven MLB games have been called off, and games in the NHL, WNBA and MLS have been abandoned as well.
