Posted on 04/22/2006 7:00:40 PM PDT by JellyJam
LOS ANGELES - Rick Monday never tires of answering questions about that memorable day 30 years ago, when he performed his own Patriot Act and unwittingly became an icon to millions of American war heroes and their loved ones.
Monday was playing center field for the Chicago Cubs on April 25, 1976, at Dodger Stadium when he noticed two protesters kneeling on the grass in left-center, intending to burn the American flag. He immediately bolted toward them and snatched it away.
"I was angry when I saw them start to do something to the flag, and I'm glad that I happened to be geographically close enough to do something about it," said Monday, now in his 13th season as a Dodgers broadcaster.
"What those people were doing, and their concept of what they were trying to do was wrong. That feeling was very strongly reinforced by six years in the United States Marine Corps Reserves. I still think it's wrong to do that."
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
I heard Lasorda talk about it on radio. It must have been something to see.
OMG I do remember it rack ittt
Hey Tomkow my dad was at game
The Baseball Hall of Fame recently named Monday's quick-thinking act as one of the 100 Classic Moments in the history of the game.
"Whatever their protest was about, what they were attempting to do to the flag - which represents a lot of rights and freedoms that we all have - was wrong for a lot of reasons," Monday said. "Not only does it desecrate the flag, but it also desecrates the effort and the lives that have been laid down to protect those rights and freedoms for all of us."
The Dodgers will acknowledge the event before the finale of a nine-game homestand on Sunday, two days before the actual anniversary of it. A video tribute will be shown before the game and Monday will throw out a ceremonial first pitch. On Tuesday, the Houston Astros will honor him as well when the Dodgers play the middle game of a three-game series.
Hey, Freepers, did any of you attend this game?!
HMMM my dad did
He was at game with my late uncle and two of his work buddies LOL!
ME I was at home watching the game with my mom and my brother
I was in a riot that started just about this way.
Your dad was at the game? Take a look HERE He might enjoy this. Its a site seeking input for a book.
I remember that what Monday did was controversial in some circles. But it was a great thign to do.
Didn't the Dodgers acquire him the next year?
"Tommy Lasorda recalled in his book that starting softly, the crowd started singing "God Bless America", completely unprompted, until all of the tens of thousands of Dodger fans had joined together to sing it. It was one of the few unscripted and spontaneous patriotic displays in our Bicentennial, and one of the most moving at any time."
Thanks, So9. :)
Yep, he played on three pennant-winning Dodger teams and played a key role in their World Series win in 1981.
I did not attend the game, but I was listening on WGN in my room in Chicago that day.
What a cool guy. I remember watching him play during the Dodgers heyday with Garvey, Cey, Lopes, Russell, Yeager, and the rest.
HMM thank you I send him that link in his email LOL!
You know what Dodgers do have and had war veterans on thier team going back to WW1 and WW2 like aka Pee Wee Reese Jackie Robinson so I am not surprise
I going ping this to Cantten OH Canteen members it is trueeee about this story
I'm a huge sports fan I never heard about this! You'd think this would get an Outside the Lines episode or a special on Fox Sports.
Sad thing is that if he did the same thing today they would arrest him for theft and interfering with freedom of speech. God Bless America!
FLAG-O-PING.
Yeah. We were all there; just like we were all at Woodstock. If everyone who claimed they were there had really been there, Dodger Stadium would need about 500,000 seats instead of its 52,000 or so.
I posted this a year or so ago. That article said that Monday got standing O's in every city.
I feel old.
1976 was a great year to be an American ... that was the summer before my senior year in high school. Flags were EVERYWHERE because of the Bicentennial. Fly a flag today and people look at you cross-eyed.
That brought tears to my eyes, I wish we had more moments like this....You do know that the big problems that face this nation could be erased in a moment.....Please God, bless this nation again.
I was at game 5 in 1981 when Guerrero and Yeager hit back to back homers in the bottom of the 7th to beat Guidry. They were almost in identical locations in the left field bleachers. Gossage hit Ron Cey in the head the next inning with a 97 mph fastball. He was on the ground for some time, and it was really scary.
I saw Koufax pitch his first no-hitter in a 5-0 win over the Mets. In the 9th, Richie Ashburn hit a little flare down the left field line that was barely foul.
I saw the final game of Willie McCovey, the dreaded hated Giant. His last bat he got a SAC fly and we gave him a 15-minute standing ovation.
I saw Willie Davis hit in his 29th, 30th, and 31st straight game (I think those were the numbers). The Dodgers had a lead in the 9th when the Mets scored several runs to tie. It went to extra innings. Former Dodger great and then Met manager Gil Hodges did not walk Davis in the 12th (?) inning with a runner on 3rd and one out. Davis got a hit to keep his streak alive and win the game.
I saw Duke Snider night in the Coliseum at the twilight of his career. He got a triple and home run that game.
I saw many victories by Koufax and Drysdale.
I saw Pete Richert face his first six batters in relief when he just came up from the minors. He struck out all six.
I saw Jimmy Wynn hit a grandslam in the bottom of the 7th to beat the Reds in a critical game in the pennant race.
I saw Wills steal many, many bases. That was probably the most exciting time of any Dodger game. He would get on base and 50,000 people would be chanting --- GO GO GO.
I went to Dodger camera day when they let you onto the field and took my son to his first game at about 2 years of age. Mrs. DFU literally threw him to Steve Garvey over the rope barricade. We have a great photo of Garvey holding him.
I saw a Dodger steal home once but don't remember who did it.
I saw the first playoff game victory ever for the Angeles. They came back with two in the bottom of the 9th to beat Baltimore.
Those were the days when players stayed with their teams. That is when it was really baseball.
My friend Peter Paul was in charge of the California Bicentennial celebration.
The only memorable game I saw in person was Pete Rose getting his 3,000th hit in Cincinnati against Montreal.
I hated the Dodgers, being a Yankee fan all of age 7 at the time, but this sounds like one stand up guy. Wish I had heard this story sooner.
Semper fidelis!
Yeah, like the Supreme Court.
That is indeed memorable. Did he place a bet on that game? :)
I was upset when they traded one of my favorites for him -- Bill Buckner. The good news is that Buckner made it to the Sox in time to make the error that cost them the series.
"1976 was a great year to be an American"
_______________________________________
Yes it was, unfortunately it was also the year Jimmah got elected prez......sigh..:(
If he did the same thing today, he would probably be prosecuted for violating the flag burners first amendment rights.
They didn't have much of a choice, did they? Still, there are some who stay with their team even in the free agency era.
Bernie and Jeter
Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada
Doug, I know you know this, but for the benefit of those who don't, Rick Monday was the Dodgers' choice to replace broadcaster Don Drysdale, who on a road trip to Montreal around the 4th of July in 1993, died in his hotel room before the game.
No one knew why at the time, and we hadn't heard the news yet (because his wife Ann Meyers, the former UCLA basketball player, had not been contacted), but Vin Scully sounded the most tired and weary that I had ever heard him, which had been for almost 20 years to that point (since "Mo" played). I found out later, it was because Vinny (and Ross Porter) knew, but no one else did, until the news broke on our local CBS affiliate.
Vinny announced it before the 6th inning, and explained that the family needed to be notified before he mentioned it, but that he knew, and they knew, and were playing with heavy hearts. (This was, ironically, almost a week to the day after the passing of Roy Campanella. In fact, just days prior, Drysdale and his wife had gone to the service.)
Ross Porter, a commentator with the team until the end of the 2004 season, came on at the 7th inning start, and could hardly talk. (which, if you know Ross, is saying something) Anyway, long story short, Rick was doing something with the broadcast team, and he was asked to fill the second commentator spot. He was very humble about it, saying that while happy for the opportunity, he was saddened and humbled by the circumstances.
His act of saving the flag, I didn't see. But I heard of it, and it's so nice that thirty years later, we are reminded of it again. I, as one who couldn't look at a flag right after 9-11, or hear the National Anthem without weeping, will probably weep again if I see it tomorrow.
I saw Don pitch many great games. It was a tragedy that he died so young.
One of the funniest things I have ever heard on radio is Phil Hendrie immitating Ross Porter or Scully doing a game. If anyone has a backstage pass for Hendrie, I'd love to hear a little of that.
I was twelve years old when that happened, but it still feels like yesterday. That era was only made worse by four years of Jimmy Carter. Thank God for people like Monday that knew what a great country that flag was supposed to stand for.
I used to go to the same church
Tommy Lasorda went to. A lot of
the ball players went to that
church. Tommy donated a brand
new grand piano.
Thanks for the ping!
WOW! I love Tommy Lasorda.
GOOD man.
God bless Rick Monday too.
[... 1976 was a great year to be an American ...]
It's ALWAYS a great year to be an American.
However, in 1976 I believe interest rates were
around 17%. Remember the "Misery Index"?
I went to the one Orel Hershiser went to while he played for the Dodgers. The pastor was in the middle of a sermon about greed when he started to talk about professional baseball players. The congregation slowly started to turn and look at Orel. The pastor realizing it said "Sorry Orel". Orel laughed and said "It's okay". Orel is a real good guy.
Thanks for the trip down Dodger memory lane, doug.
I grew up in the city where the Dodgers had their AAA team, so my heros of the day began to disappear from Spokane Indians roster each year. Our loss was the Dodgers gain. Finally saw my first Major League game at Candlestick after moving to California. A Giants vs Dodgers game.
I'll run a few names by you of players I watched who played for the Indians:
Norm and Larry Sherry, Maury Wills, Tommy Davis, Willie Davis, Frank Howard, Roger Craig... the list goes on. One year that Wills was playing there, he rented the house across the street from my grandmother's house.
Two seasons, the Dodgers came to town for an exhibition game. Frank Howard hit a home run to straight-away center field - 411 ft. That ball was still climbing when it went over the fence.
ahhh, the memories. They don't get much better than that.
[...Do you remember Johnny Werhas from the early 60's?...]
He was the pastor of Yorba Linda Friend Church.
I used to go there, but... suffice to say John
is not there anymore.
Anyone know about his baseball commission scandal?
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