ABOVE: The Tampa Bay Rays Pride patch. Photo via the Tampa Bay Rays’ Twitter.
ST. PETERSBURG | The Tampa Bay Rays played the Chicago White Sox at Tropicana Field June 4, losing 3-2 during the team’s 16th annual Pride Night.
The game marked the Rays’ first time recognizing Pride on their uniforms. While most players wore LGBTQ jerseys and hats, at least five abstained due to religious beliefs.
The majority of players wore a rainbow-colored sunburst logo patch and hat when taking the field. Ahead of time, many also appeared in LGBTQ-themed T-shirts labeled “Baseball is for Everyone” in what the organization shared was meant to promote a message of inclusivity. The team shared images before the game:
Today, we wear our #Pride on our sleeves pic.twitter.com/bcOLJNhx6Y
— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) June 4, 2022
“It just shows that we want everyone to feel welcomed and included when you come to Tropicana Field and people are cheering us on,” Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier, who wore the specially designed cap and uniform patch, told MLB.com.
“My parents taught me to love everyone as they are,” he continued. “Go live your life. Whatever your preferences are, go be you. … We just want everyone to feel welcomed and included and cheer us on.”
As in years past, a portion of ticket sales benefited Tampa Bay-based LGBTQ organizations including Come OUT St. Pete, St Pete Pride, the Tampa LGBT Chamber, Tampa Pride and more when fans utilized unique purchase codes. Metro Inclusive Health was also presented a $20,000 check for its support of the local LGBTQ community and hats designed by local LGBTQ artist Chad Mize were distributed.
According to a Tampa Bay Times report, five Rays pitchers removed their LGBTQ patches and wore their standard team hat for the game. Those players are Jason Adam, Jalen Beeks, Brooks Raley, Jeffrey Springs and Ryan Thompson.
Speaking for the players who did not wear the LGBTQ logo, Adam told the outlet that “a lot of it comes down to faith, to like a faith-based decision.”
“So it’s a hard decision. Because ultimately we all said what we want is them to know that all are welcome and loved here,” he continued. “But when we put it on our bodies, I think a lot of guys decided that it’s just a lifestyle that maybe — not that they look down on anybody or think differently — it’s just that maybe we don’t want to encourage it if we believe in Jesus, who’s encouraged us to live a lifestyle that would abstain from that behavior, just like [Jesus] encourages me as a heterosexual male to abstain from sex outside of the confines of marriage. It’s no different.”
Adam subsequently stressed that “it’s not judgmental. It’s not looking down. lt’s just what we believe the lifestyle he’s encouraged us to live, for our good, not to withhold. But again, we love these men and women, we care about them, and we want them to feel safe and welcome here.”
Tampa Bay Rays Manager Kevin Cash addressed their choice after a game June 5.
“First and foremost, I think the organization has done a really good thing to have Pride Nights supporting our gay community to come out and have a nice night at the ballpark,” he said. “Impressed that our players have had those conversions and we want to support our players that choose to wear or choose not to wear to the best of our capabilities.”
According to the Associated Press, Pride Night attendance was attendance was 19,452, above the season average of 16,868. The June 5 game welcomed 11,162.
Watermark has reached out to the Tampa Bay Rays for additional comment and will update this story once it is received.
