The St. Louis Cardinals announced today that they will hold their first Pride Night on August 25th.
A lot of teams have Pride Nights, but it’s worth noting that the Cardinals are holding one given some bad press -- some fair, some unfair -- they have received in recent years when it comes to matters of diversity and inclusion.
Earlier this month the club received criticism from the LGBT community due to Lance Berkman’s presence for the team’s annual Christian Day, given his past comments about transgender people and his participation in a Houston political campaign over access to public restrooms. Recently, a former Cardinals minor league player claimed he left baseball after enduring anti-gay comments from his coaches and teammates.
As club president Bill DeWitt III noted in the official announcement however, the Cardinals have hosted LGBT groups in the past. He says that the club is eager to “remind fans that everyone is welcome at Busch Stadium.” He notes that the event will raise money for the PrideSTL Scholarship Fund which, in DeWitt’s words, “help courageous students in our community.”
Nice move, Cardinals.