Come on, isn’t this America’s pastime?
Well apparently the MLB took issue with an American flag on Chicago Cubs reliever Luke Little’s glove last night during a game against the Houston Astros.
The 23-year old pitcher has worn the glove for his entire career in the minors, and continued with it when he made his first start for the Cubs on April 3. But when he brought the same glove out against the Astros, umpires took issue with the American flag on his glove and made him change it mid-game.
According to MLB rules, the pitcher’s glove may not “be white, gray, nor, in the judgment of an umpire, distracting in any manner.”
And Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that the umpires told him that the white in the American flag could be considered a “distraction.”
“The issue was the American flag was on his glove. Pitchers’ gloves, they’re pretty strict about not having white on the pitchers’ gloves. Apparently the flag had what could be a distraction to the hitter.”
So, Little changed his glove as requested, and after the game he confirmed that the MLB had reached out to the team telling them that he wouldn’t be allowed to use the glove in the future:
“The clubbies told me that they had got an email from MLB that I’m not allowed to wear it. But I just didn’t assume that they were just going to just cut me. It’s not like it has an advantage in the game. It’s not like it blinds the hitters. Just representing my country.”
(It’s also ironic that Little was called out for the American flag on his glove being a “distraction” against the Houston Astros…I mean, is it really any more distracting than banging on a trash can?)
After the game, Luke took to social media to give his opinion on the whole ordeal – well, kind of:
