A’s Bolt upsets fans with comment
Minor leaguer tweeted on U.S. Capitol riot
Oakland A’s minor league outfielder Skye Bolt upset some of the team’s fans Wednesday with a tweet about the rioting at the U. S. Capitol in Washington.
In a thread beneath a tweet by New York Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman, who asked for people to “open your eyes to the racism that is still engrained (sic) in society,” Bolt replied to another user with the username Rick O’Sheasical Distancing. Rick suggested that the Black Lives Matter protests were “always going to be peaceful. This was always going to be violent.”
“I’m confused Rick at where the billions in damaged, stollen (sic), burned, luted (sic) cities all across the country and this scenario (so far!) are comparable but let’s hear what you’ve got,” Bolt tweeted.
The tweet angered A’s fans on the social media platform.
“One less A’s jersey to buy now, thanks for the heads up,” one
tweeted.
“Lifelong A’s fan here ready to boo you long and loud if I ever see you on the field in Oakland,” another tweeted.
“I don’t cheer for traitors. Don’t ever show your face at the coliseum,” tweeted one more.
About 90 minutes after his tweet, Bolt clarified his remarks and deleted his first tweet.
“Let’s be clear,” he wrote. “I think what is going on in the capitol is a disgrace. It’s embarrassing. Period and my tweet was a mistake. I feel that the hypocrisy in the capitol command is a disgrace. Let’s make that clear that a lack of unity is evident and the only way to mend this country
“I have been reading all day and watching, I only wanted to spur conversation, not defend what is happening. It is a disgrace. Period.”
A short time after that tweet, Bolt apparently deleted his Twitter account.
The A’s did not immediately respond to a request for comment.