Keith Olbermann expressed indignation towards the St. Louis Cardinals for their conduct in a game against the Atlanta Braves.
While the match was ongoing, subsequent to Alec Burleson’s solo home run in the third inning, the broadcast revealed players making gestures like cupping a hand over their ear and lifting their fists in the air.
In the next inning, Cardinals star Lars Nootbaar imitated these actions post his home run.
Certain individuals, including Keith Olbermann, drew parallels between these gestures and former President Trump’s response post an assassination attempt.
Olbermann vented on social media, demanding the players be barred from MLB and accusing them of being “fascists.”
“Attn @mlb ban these guys from baseball for life, confiscate the @Cardinals franchise, and implode the stadium Cardinals = Trump Nazis Stick to sports (expletive) THE ST. LOUIS CARDINALS America has had enough of this (expletive),” he wrote on social media.
The raised fist gesture, correlated with movements like Black Lives Matter, carried a distinct meaning in this scenario subsequent to the assassination attempt.
It was subsequently disclosed that the players’ actions were not politically driven but instead a humorous reference within the team.
Cardinals Players Respond To Major Backlash From Keith Olbermann And Others Over Apparent Trump Celebration
Keith Olbermann, among others, censured the Cardinals for supposedly mimicking Trump’s gestures, which were misinterpreted.
The Cardinals clarified to The Athletic that their celebration had no political undertones.
Matt Carpenter elucidated that the gestures were part of an internal jest among the players and not a political declaration.
“He’s been carrying us at the plate,” Carpenter said. “(The celebration) is the furthest thing from a political statement.”
It’s an inside joke with (Burleson),” he added. “This isn’t a political statement by any means. I don’t know where that came from.”
