Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Anthony Bass made his first appearance Wednesday night in front of the hometown fans after sharing an anti-LGBTQ+ social media post.
And he was booed out of the stadium. Talk about some sweet, sweet comeuppance.
Earlier this week, Bass, a 35-year-old journeyman, reposted a a video to his Instagram story that promoted the conservative boycotts of Bud Light and Target. Previously anonymous, Bass rose to national infamy earlier this spring, when he publicly ripped a flight attendant for not picking up his young daughter’s “popcorn mess.”
In related news, Bass’ Twitter account is now deleted. Too bad his Instagram hasn’t disappeared as well.
Blue Jays fans tore into Bass online following his hateful post, with some donating to LGBTQ+ causes in his name.
The following day, Bass issued a 30-second apology, vowing to use the Blue Jays’ resources to “better educate himself.” The right-hander did not take questions.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters the team isn’t going to let Bass off the hook. “It’s not going to be a 15 or 30-second apology and say, ‘OK, I did my part,'” he told reporters. (We’ll see about that. Hopefully the Jays live up to their word.)
Predictably, some conservatives are accusing the Jays of enforcing Orwellian-like restrictions on their players’ rights to free speech. But that argument is ridiculous: nobody is saying Bass doesn’t have a right to share anti-LGBTQ+ posts on social media.
But it’s also his employer’s right to make him apologize. The Jays are hosting Pride events at their ballpark all weekend. They probably weren’t thrilled that one of their players expressed opposition towards the very community they’re trying to celebrate.
Pride Nights are about making sure that LGBTQ+ people are comfortable at the park. Bass’ post belittled that mission.
Those events led up to Wednesday night, when Bass made his first in-game appearance at the Rogers Centre since his post and brief apology.
The sold-out crowd greeted him with multiple rounds of boos.
The Pride Month culture wars have extended to the baseball diamond, as nearly every MLB team is slated to hold a Pride Night this month (the Texas Rangers are the only exception). The Los Angeles Dodgers have been ensnared in controversy for weeks over their decision to honor the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence at their Pride event.
The team originally capitulated to the anti-LGBTQ+ mob, before re-inviting the Sisters last week.
Since then, multiple Dodgers players, including star left-hander Clayton Kershaw, have criticized the club for its decision.
But the Dodgers are holding strong. Unlike other pro sports teams faced with Pride blowback, they’re not abandoning their gay fans.
Now ubiquitous across sports, there’s been enhanced backlash to Pride Nights over the past year. Last June, five Tampa Bay Rays pitchers refused to wear rainbow insignias on their jerseys, saying they disagree with “gay behavior.”
During the NHL season, multiple players across the league declined to wear rainbow warmup jerseys, and their teams allowed them. Many of the players didn’t even have to offer explanations for their snub.
But Bass, unlike those Rays pitchers and NHL players, is dealing with significant pushback. He wasn’t giving fans much reason to cheer for him, anyway, given his mediocre 4.26 ERA.
His hateful content on social media is only making matters worse.
Scroll down for more reaction to Bass getting deservedly jeered…
I was part or the vocal majority in my section that agreed we would boo loud and hard for him regardless of what happened. Glad the folks around me supported it and it was even greater to hear the majority of the stadium joining in. Hate and bigotry has no place in this ballpark
— Ryan Watson (@arebigga) June 1, 2023
Kangol2
And don’t forget Clayton Kershaw, a sure Hall of Fame pitcher, who demanded and got a Christian Pride celebration from the Dodgers, scheduled for July 30.
Also, Washington Nationals pitcher Trevor Williams trashed the Dodgers for inviting the Sisters, saying it was an insult to his Catholicism and that of millions of other Catholics in LA, even though the opposition hasn’t come from Catholics in LA but from right-wing nuts like Floridian Marco Rubio and New Yorker (or wherever he’s living now) Bill Donohue.
PSST: Don’t tell EdwardinVirginny and the rest that homophobes Anthony Bass, Clayton Kershaw and Trevor Williams aren’t “Black”. Their heads might explode.
Ken A.
He has a right to say what he wants whether I agree or not as so do I and everyone. Pride belongs to the LGB, it was born from the AIDS epidemic that straight people were hoping would erase us until it started killing straights then they decided to put resources into finding treatment and later a cure.
wikidBSTN
He does – and the rest of us have our free-speech rights to criticize him for what he says.
ScottOnEarth
You are too basic for words. No one is questioning his right to express himself, genius. There are consequences for this type of expressions. If you just sit back and abide the bigotry and discrimination he promotes, then you are a sad excuse.
Major
I wouldn’t expect any other comment from someone who just uses the acronym LGB,
and no, sweety, Pride didn’t start with the AIDS epidemic.
abfab
Ken. Is the A short for Asshole?
dbmcvey
Pride was born of the Stonewall riots (though it was simmering before that). Where are you getting your information?
Kangol2
Actually, he works for a private company, so he doesn’t “have a right to say what he wants” on their time and dime. He can do that in a public park or at a rally in front of a government building, but private corporations, like the Toronto Blue Jays (which operate in Canada, by the way, under Canadian Constitutional law, which limits speech more than the US), have considerable power over what you can and cannot say.
Also, PRIDE (the marches, the celebrations) as we know it began after the Stonewall Riots of 1969. The AIDS epidemic didn’t start until 1981. Where are you getting your information? Please, do a little bit of self-education going forward. It’ll go a long way!
Den
The modern LGBT movement, pride celebrations and pride parades began after the Stonewall riots. They had nothing to do with the emergence of HIV in the 1980’s. Additionally, all speech has consequences, and businesses have every right to restrict employee speech that does not reflect their brand. What our constitution protects us from is the government censuring us for speech they disapprove of. The right (as exemplified by DeSantis) is trying very hard to undermine that!
PoetDaddy
ALL bigotry deserves cancellation. This hateful jock is an embarrassment to Canada and to baseball!
xnetminder
The team made him apologize?? Like that is sincere….so freaking fake and worthless.
Mack
Now he’ll become a “poster boy” for MAGAt and DeSantis crowd.
Kangol2
They’re attacking him because he issued an apology. You can’t win with that “cancel culture”/”snowflake” gang!
barryaksarben
mango you are so ridiculous. We all know your are some thirtysomethibng white guy. in his parents basement and spewing hate cuz you are an INCEL. We all know that inches are the lowest as NO ONE man or woman wants to f**k you and you are so angry cuz you are such a good guy and so those supermodels should be begging for you. lol so delusional. but we see you for what you are tired and boring
Brumas
While I agree with free speech this kind of bigotry that can only be described as “hate speech” does not warrant free speech protection. It’s simply not acceptable from anyone in a position of influence. MLB players fall into that category. If it were up to me I’d want to see if he’s in breach of his contract. If he isn’t owners should include a prohibition of hare speech in contracts.
Pietro D
I’m from Toronto and a big Blue Jays fan and let me tell you we don’t put up with this or any sort of Hatred from anyone ….. You can trust that the Blue Jays Organization including General Manager John Schneider is not going to let this mess pass with a simple 20 second apology. Something will be done especially that Anthony Bass is, at present, a very mediocre pitcher. (He always has been) We dislike his kind very much and believe me, it was awesome the way the crowd knocked the wind right out of his sails. I WAS PRESENT, booed and heckled like most Torontonians who very much dislike hatemongers like Bass. He’s a disgusting person and I wouln’t be surprised if the Blue Jays decide to release him. If not a release, he WILL pay mightily for his humongous misdeed.
abfab
Which one of these right wing jocks/players complained because there weren’t TOTAL MONTHS celebrating PRIDE for Vets or Christians? Start one, asshole and then we’re even! Then STFU!
abfab
This shlep and Paris Dennard would make a sssssssuper couple!
Kangol2
Something tells me Paris Dennard would be a bit too, uh, brown (Black) for him!
abfab
Paris Dennard is Black? : ) xo Happy Pride Month King!
Georgeiv2
I wonder who it was that turned him down ?
fur_hunter
…….. There will ALWAYS be ST.UPI.D, IGN.OR..ANT MO..RO.NS who don’t understand that being gay IS NOT a choice. Evangelical fundamentalist IM.BECI..LES will always be out there because they REFUSE to accept the legitimate and unbiased information regarding the LGBTQ Community. They use a book written over 1500 years ago by MEN……. NOT GOD….. to condemn and hate gays. They get their information from Romans and Leviticus, both books written by MEN who were most likely closeted latent homosexuals who hated themselves. They condemn men when they see them living together, kiss one another or say I love you. Well, think about this. Jesus was over 30, not married, lived and slept with 12 men, kissed Judas and told Big Peter that He loved him. Got that? Guess Jesus was GAY…. Got it?……… Ignorance IS NOT bliss. But as I said, there will ALWAYS be STU..PID, IGN.OR..ANT M.OR..ONS because they refuse to get off their ST.UP.ID A.S.S.es to do the research and find the TRUTH……..(It’s pathetic that I have to do things to words. I posted this comment with no distortion of words and they banned it here. Please tell me what is the problem??? Everything I wrote is TRUE!!!)
abfab
Main menu. Please press 1 for HELP!
duke4172
The LGBT community was winning equal right and the right to marry not that the MAGA’s are in congress that may be stripped away!
abfab
Cum again?