The protests and property destruction outside Camden Yards Saturday night during the O’s-Red Sox game—following a peaceful march and rally at City Hall earlier in the day—created, as it should, deep concern on many levels for the entire city.
It was also surreal, we imagine, for the Orioles and Red Sox themselves to play a game surrounded by such extraordinary circumstances. Especially so, given the tragic nature of 25-year-old Freddie Gray’s death in police custody that sparked the protests in the first place. It was the intention, of course, of some of the protestors to disrupt “business as usual” in Baltimore and call attention to the allegations in Gray’s death and the recent documentation of police brutality in the city by the
Baltimore Sun.
After the game, a number of members of the Orioles organization, most notable vice president John Angelos, manager Buck Showalter, and outfielder Adam Jones, expressed their
concern for everyone’s safety. They also tried to put the idea of playing a baseball game under such extraordinary circumstances in context.
“It’s a challenging day to a lot of people—a lot more challenging than a baseball game,” Showalter said in his postgame news conference. “I mean, this is a game. And those are life issues. This kind of pales in comparison with what’s going on in my life off the field and what’s going on in our city. We have to continue to have confidence that we’ll get through it, like we get through lots of things in this city.
“The [players] were kind of listening to what’s going on in the clubhouse. I’m sure we’ll have people talking about spending the night here tonight. I think they were aware of it. So many things that can take your attention from a baseball game, and let’s face it, rightfully so. As important as we think this is, there are other things that are more important.”
Centerfielder Adam Jones, a team leader in the O’s locker room, expressed similar concerns:
“I don’t want people to be hurt. I understand, fight for your rights,” Jones told reporters. “It’s what you should do. But try to be safe and be smart about it.
“It’s not about what I do for the city; it’s about that it can happen at any other city,” Jones continued. “An African-American is an African-American. It doesn’t matter that I’m in Baltimore. But I just want people to be safe during this issue. It’s a tough issue. I think everybody needs to get all the facts. Stay safe, stay smart. Protest, but let’s not damage our own city. At the end of the day, you got to live here.”
First baseman’s Chris Davis’s post-game
Tweet highlighted the strange juxtaposition of the game and protests, which have been garnering national and international attention.
And, most notably, was Orioles vice president John Angelos’—owner Peter Angelos’ son—statement, which he made
via Twitter, and part of which follows here:
“The innocent working families of all backgrounds whose lives and dreams have been cut short by excessive violence, surveillance, and other abuses of the Bill of Rights by government pay the true price, and ultimate price, and one that far exceeds the importance of any kids’ game played tonight, or ever, at Camden Yards. We need to keep in mind people are suffering and dying around the U.S., and while we are thankful no one was injured at Camden Yards, there is a far bigger picture for poor Americans in Baltimore and everywhere who don’t have jobs and are losing economic civil and legal rights, and this makes inconvenience at a ballgame irrelevant in light of the needless suffering government is inflicting upon ordinary Americans.”
O’s reliever Darren O’Day probably had more reason than any other Oriole to be concerned while the protests were actually taking place outside the ball park—his wife, Fox News reporter
Elizabeth Prann, was reporting on the demonstrations from nearby Pratt and Howard streets.
“It’s all over TV, and there are a lot of TVs in this clubhouse, and some of the TVs are always tuned into news,” O’Day told
the Sun. “We had a pretty good idea. And it’s pretty hard to ignore the police choppers circling the field during batting practice.
“I was worried about her,” O’Day said about his wife. “People do funny things when they see cameras and microphones. It’s kind of a crazy profession [being a reporter]. When you see trouble going on, you have to run towards it and seek yourself right in the middle of it. … There’s definitely times when I’ve been worried about her on a story. … You just never know what’s going to happen.”
Freddie Gray’s family was scheduled to lay him to rest today.
Protests are expected to continue this week as city police and federal investigations into his death continue.
Baltimore City police have said they expect to pass along preliminary results of their investigation, which will not necessarily be made immediately public, to City state’s attorney Marilyn Mosby’s office Friday.