‘Employee No. 21’ to stand up for Mets
NEW YORK—
As far as Carlos Delgado is concerned, team rules come before personal politics. And that’s why he’s willing to stand on the field with the rest of the New York Mets when “ God Bless America” is played.
“ I think the most important thing about integrity is to realize what your priorities are,” Delgado said. “ I’m a baseball player, I’m not a political activist.’’ Moments after pulling on a Mets jersey at a Shea Stadium news conference yesterday, the team’s new first baseman was peppered with questions about his protest of the U. S.- Iraq war. Delgado’s refusal to stand on the field during “ God Bless America” the past two seasons attracted nearly as much attention as his home runs — especially when played in New York. But now that he’s been traded by the cost- cutting Florida Marlins to the Mets, the slugger said he has no problem adhering to his new club’s rule. New York manager Willie Randolph expects his players to “ stand at attention and honour the flag” during the song. So Delgado said he will be right there alongside his teammates when it’s played at big- league ballparks during the seventhinning stretch.
“ I’m employee No. 21,” Delgado said, referring to his new uniform number. “ I’m here to follow orders.’’ Many major- league teams have played “ God Bless America” at home since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, and Delgado doesn’t mind that at all. In fact, he donated $25,000 (U.S.) to New York firefighters and another $ 25,000 to police soon after 9/ 11. But he thought the song came to represent support for the United States’ invasion of Iraq, which he called “ the stupidest war ever” while he was playing for Toronto in 2004.
“ They tied up ‘ God Bless America’ to the war in Iraq and I said, ‘ What is going on here?’ ” Delgado said. “ I was against the war in Iraq.’’