St. Louis Cardinals’ Matt Carpenter has addressed rumors circulating online which suggested that their recent team celebration was a political statement relating to an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump. The speculation arose when an online outlet likened their celebration to images seen after the Trump incident on July 13. Some believed that the team was mimicking Trump’s gesture during players Alec Burleson and Lars Nootbaar’s home run trot and the consequent dugout celebration, where they cupped an ear with one hand, while raising the opposite fist in the air.
Carpenter rebutted the allegations, explaining that their celebration was merely an internal joke involving their teammate Burleson and bore no political insinuations. He said, “Burleson is a former college rapper…He’s been carrying us at the plate. The celebration is the furthest thing from a political statement.” Moreover, he emphasized that the hand gestures imitate a DJ, which is a tribute to Burleson’s college rapping days, where he was popularly referred to as “Biscuit.”
The team leader cleared any further misunderstandings about the celebration, revealing that this had been a persistent practice since the first half of the current season. “It’s slowly catching on,” admitted Carpenter. He denied knowledge about who originated the celebration on the field, but confirmed it gained momentum in recent series. Dismissing the political connection, Carpenter commented, “Definitely not a political statement. I think that’s a little off-base here.”
Nonetheless, the Cardinals were not the sole team to spark questions about their celebration antics. Tampa Bay Rays’ infielder Taylor Walls also puzzled viewers with his celebration during a double at Yankee Stadium. Walls reportedly raised a fist and mouthed “fight, fight” just like Trump’s gesture following his assassination attempt.
Carpenter’s revelation about the Cardinals’ team celebration brings to light how easy it is for benign actions to be misconstrued through the lens of current events. As much as it has clarified the intentions behind their recurring dugout celebration, it also highlights the hypersensitivity of viewers to symbolism in modern sports.
