Happy Fourth of July, boys and girls! What a glorious day it’s been!
And I’m sure the players from both the New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds would agree after what happened prior to Thursday’s game between the two teams.
The Yankees and Reds have been playing each other in a three-game series and the final contest in the Bronx came Thursday afternoon — and it also happened to be Independence Day. And as a result, players from both sides found themselves in a National Anthem standoff in true patriotic pride, outright refusing to exit the field and place their caps back on after the fact. (RELATED: Miami Marlins, Burger King Come Up With A Limited-Edition Co-Branded Crown)
Things originally started with four players, but eventually got knocked down to two Yankees in pitchers Cody Poteet and Ian Hamilton, and one from the Reds in pitcher Graham Ashcraft. For a good quantity of minutes following the Anthem, each side was standing in front of their dugout, standing off the other in the name of patriotism as they refused to head back in.
Initially supportive of his players, New York manager Aaron Boone eventually had enough and told his players to come to the dugout, giving Ashcraft the victory. In response, his Reds teammates celebrated, gave him a round of applause and issued him a congratulations for his dub.
WATCH:
I feel like Aaron Boone should have let this go on.
I mean, come on, the Yankees are already viewed as the “evil empire,” why not take the opportunity to score some cool points with Americans?
