On Monday night, before the Giants-A’s game in Oakland, San Francisco Giants manager Gabe Kapler and several Giants players knelt during the national anthem. They did so again on Tuesday before the Giants-A’s game at Oracle Park in San Francisco. While former 49ers quarterback Colin Kapaernick and former A’s catcher Bruce Maxwell led the way in this particular form of protest against racial injustice, Kapler was the first manager or coach in major American sports to do so.
Following his taking a knee, Kapler explained the “responsibility and opportunity” he says he has to amplify the voices of Black people. Here are some of his comments along those lines:
“I’ve had conversations with my family, conversations with friends around the game and people from other organizations. And one of the things that I heard and continue to hear is that we have an opportunity – and when I say ‘we,’ I mean people in positions of authority in sports, people in positions of privilege in sports – have both the responsibility and an opportunity to amplify the voices of Black people. To amplify the voices of marginalized groups, and groups that in many ways are asking for our partnership. I take that responsibility pretty seriously. I have a lot to learn and a lot of listening to do, but I also feel like it’s the right time to speak loudly in sports while all eyes are on us.”
Listen to Kapler say so himself here:
