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April 25, 2006
Honoring Rick Monday
Posted by Dave Blount at April 25, 2006 9:04 PM
Thirty years ago today Chicago Cubs centerfielder Rick Monday saw a moonbat and his 11-year-old son preparing to set fire to an American flag at Dodger Stadium. He charged the pair and rescued Old Glory. Monday explained:
This was a flag that people looked at with respect. We have a lot of rights and freedoms — not to sound corny — but we all have the option if we don't like something to make it better. Or you also have the option, if you don't like it, [to] pack up and leave. But don't come onto the field and burn an American flag.
A veteran of 19 years in the majors and 6 in the Marine Corps Reserves, Monday currently works as a Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster. He grew up in Santa Monica.
In honor of the anniversary, Monday is to be honored tonight with a video tribute at Minute Maid Park in Houston, where the Astros play the Dodgers. Grainy videotape will be played of the freak and his kid jumping over the railing onto left field to lay out the flag and douse it with lighter fluid, and of Monday running in from center to snatch it away. The reaction of the crowd was stunned silence, followed by standing up to cheer and sing God Bless America.
The Dodgers provided a similar tribute on Sunday, with Monday throwing out the first pitch.
He still has the flag. Although it was never in great shape, he was once offered $1 million for it. "But the flag is not for sale," said Monday. "What this flag represents, you can't buy."
