Manager Gabe Kapler of the San Francisco Giants looks on at a game against the San Diego Padres. Photo: Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images
San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler said Friday he won't take the field for the national anthem "until I feel better about the direction of our country."
Driving the news: Kapler's decision comes days after an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
What he said: Earlier Friday, Kapler wrote in a blog post on his website that he felt shame for not kneeling during the national anthem during a game Wednesday.
- "My brain said drop to a knee; my body didn’t listen."
- "Every time I place my hand over my heart and remove my hat, I’m participating in a self-congratulatory glorification of the ONLY country where these mass shootings take place," he added.
- Kapler did not say when he would begin protesting the national anthem or how long the protest could last.
- The Giants are set to face off against the Reds in Cincinnati on Friday night. The game, however, has been delayed due to rain, the Reds tweeted.
The big picture: Kapler's decision to protest the anthem comes as other professional sports teams are speaking out again gun violence.
- The New York Yankees and the Tampa Bay Rays said Thursday they will use social media channels to speak about gun violence instead of game coverage.
- NBA's Miami Heat also announced to fans at a game Wednesday to contact their state's senators and "leave a message demanding their support for common-sense gun laws."