Bruce Maxwell Becomes First MLBer To Protest During National Anthem

A’s catcher Bruce Maxwell became the first major league ballplayer to join the dozens of NFL pros protesting racial injustice by kneeling during the national anthem tonight before Oakland’s game against Texas.

Maxwell, whose father was a career Army officer, tweeted earlier today that viewers shouldn’t be surprised “if you start seeing athletes kneeling in other sports now.” The San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser was first to the news, and suggested Maxwell’s decision came as a reaction to Donald Trump slamming NFL player protesters as “sons of bitches” who should be “fired.”

Maxwell is out of tonight’s lineup due to being in the concussion protocol. The A’s issued the following statement: