Baseball Fan Ejected Over Political Hat Message
Last week, a baseball fan was unexpectedly removed from a stadium due to the message displayed on his hat, which clashed with a stadium rule prohibiting political slogans. The contentious message? The seemingly innocuous phrase, “Canada is not for sale.” Yes, this incident occurred in Canada.
On a sunny Thursday afternoon, Dan Begley, a retired financial adviser, attended the Toronto Blue Jays’ opening game against the Baltimore Orioles at the Rogers Centre. Proudly perched atop his head was a vibrant red baseball cap with bold white lettering that proclaimed Canada’s autonomy. For a 70-year-old resident of Etobicoke, a suburb of Toronto, it seemed like a perfectly harmless choice of attire, especially considering his long-standing loyalty to the team since its inception in 1977.
Mr. Begley arrived at the stadium an hour and a half before the game was scheduled to begin. Initially, his experience was pleasant, with even a beer vendor complimenting his hat. However, just as the first pitch was about to be thrown, his day took an unexpected turn.
“An usher approached me and stated that there is a policy against political statements,” Mr. Begley recounted in an interview. “I was taken aback; I didn’t even grasp what she meant at first, but then I realized it was my hat she was referring to. She informed me that I either needed to remove it or turn it backward.”
Unbeknownst to many, the Rogers Centre has a specific rule that prohibits “costumes, clothing, and accessories that are inappropriate, unlawful, indecent, obstructive, disparaging, offensive, objectionable, or intended to draw attention to international, political, or other similar events.” For context, the stadium’s regulations also extend to banning outside alcohol, squirt guns, brooms, and hoverboards.
