MLB

Why Mookie Betts changed his stance on kneeling during the national anthem

"I wasn't educated."

Mookie Betts of the Los Angeles Dodgers bats during the fifth inning against the San Francisco Giants. Harry How/Getty Images

By Deyscha Smith

July 24, 2020

2 minutes to read

Four years ago, Mookie Betts said that he would stand for the national anthem to respect his father, Willie, who served in the Vietnam War. Now the former Red Sox right fielder has a changed perspective.

“I wasn’t educated,” Betts said Thursday night, according to ESPN. “That’s my fault. I need to be educated on the situation. I know my dad served and I’ll never disrespect the flag, but there’s also gotta be change in the world, and kneeling has nothing to do with those who served our country.”

During the Dodgers’ season-opening win against the Giants on Thursday, Betts took a knee while a video message, written by Phillies outfielder Andrew McCutchen and his wife Maria, and narrated by Morgan Freeman, played before the game. He then continued to kneel during the national anthem while teammates Max Muncy and Cody Bellinger put their hands on his shoulders in support.

While Betts was the only Dodger to kneel, members of the Giants, such as manager Gabe Kapler and Mike Yastrzemski, did so as well.

United. pic.twitter.com/ZnFyqyMNm3

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 24, 2020

Former Red Sox manager Alex Cora tweeted on Thursday that he was proud of Betts for protesting.

“Proud of you @mookiebetts. Nunca cambies,” Cora tweeted.

Proud of you @mookiebetts. Nunca cambies.

— Alex (@ac13alex) July 24, 2020

Betts– who signed a reported 12-year, $365 million contract on Thursday — did admit that he is unsure if he will continue to kneel for the rest of the season.

“I think kneeling is definitely something that shows we need change, but also I have to put some action into play as far as away from MLB,” Betts said. “That’s my primary goal. Today was just to unify both sides and just to show that we are here for change.”

While the majority of teams have yet to play regular season games, Betts is not the only MLB player to have knelt recently. Both Cincinnati’s Amir Garrett and Joey Votto knelt in protest of police brutality and racial injustice during an exhibition game against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday. Red Sox manager Ron Roenicke said that same day that while he does not think any of the player on the team are planning to kneel, he does support the personal decision to do so in solidarity.

“We haven’t told players you have to do anything,” Roenicke said. “We’ve given them the rights, which is what this country is all about, and the freedom to do what they feel strongly about. We have said what we think and what we would like them to do, but we have also given them the opportunity to express themselves.

“This organization is okay with it,” he added. “If they want to take a knee, they can take a knee. I don’t know that anybody’s going to do that, but if they want to, we support them in whatever they want to do.”

The Red Sox take on the Orioles at Fenway Park in the 2020 season-opener Friday at 7:30 p.m.