The Texas Rangers, who won their first World Series in 63 seasons Wednesday night, is also the only team in Major League Baseball not to hold a “Pride Night”-style event celebrating LGBTQ individuals.
The Rangers bested the Arizona Diamondbacks in four out of five games to take the series.
Baseball fans who don’t think professional sports teams should devote money and resources to “Pride” events were among those noting the Rangers’ lonely stand on X, formerly Twitter, and other social media.
A total of 29 out of 30 MLB teams have hosted a Pride Night, but the Rangers’ refusal to give in to the pressure is a “courageous stand against the tsunami of corporate wokeness,” The Washington Stand’s Joshua Arnold wrote last year.
Many sports fans criticize Pride Nights for funding and promoting woke or anti-Christian groups as well as those focused on sexual or gender identity.
“At least 20 teams have promoted or funded groups that advocate or are directly involved in child gender transitions,” a National Review analysis of MLB teams found last year.
Earlier this year, the Los Angeles Dodgers faced a significant public backlash over the decision to honor an anti-Catholic group, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, with a Community Hero Award during a “Pride” event.
Men who say they belong to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence dress up as nuns and wear outlandish makeup while mocking Jesus’ crucifixion and Catholic teachings.
“Their sole mission is to disgust Christians with the most grotesque acts they can imagine,” Brian Burch, president of CatholicVote, said of the group.
During the flap in LA last summer over honoring the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, the Texas Rangers were in the media spotlight for not hosting their own Pride Night, Fox News reported.
“Our commitment is to make everyone feel welcome and included in Rangers baseball,” the Rangers said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times, among outlets that wrote about its decision. “That means in our ballpark, at every game, and in all we do—for both our fans and our employees. We deliver on that promise across our many programs to have a positive impact across our entire community.”
The Rangers’ statement also detailed the team’s other programs that support LGBTQ+ individuals, including sponsorship of a “Gay Softball World Series” last year and “development of an inclusion and community impact council,” Fox reported.
The Texas Rangers’ World Series victory comes after a variety of American sports have enforced what some call “totalitarian” wokeness on players and fans.
Earlier this year, players for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League were scheduled to wear “LGBT Pride” jerseys during a warmup, but none did.
On another NHL team, the Philadelphia Flyers, former defenseman Ivan Provorov refused to wear a Pride-themed jersey because of his Russian Orthodox faith.
“I respect everyone,”Provorov told reporters after the Flyers won against the Anaheim Ducks. “I respect everybody’s choices. My choice is to stay true to myself and my religion.”
The Left created an uproar over Provorov’s refusal to wear a Pride jersey, many calling on the Flyers to bench or fire Provorov.
“The Flyers should have responded by not allowing him to play in the game,” tweeted NHL announcer Gord Miller. “Freedom of expression doesn’t give you freedom from the consequences of your words or actions.”
Major League Baseball also has supported a variety of left-wing causes, including in the “diversity, equity, and inclusion” section of its website. The site promotes The New York Times’ controversial 1619 Project and books such as “White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo that conservatives consider racist.
Ken McIntyre contributed to this report.
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