MLB Crawls Back To Atlanta For All-Star Game, But Won’t Give Georgians The Apology They’re Owed
Despite moving its All-Star events back to Georgia in 2025, the MLB still won't apologize for smearing the state's election law.
Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred had to know it was coming with an Atlanta Braves triumph in this year's World Series.
And sure enough, even though the Braves' clinching win Tuesday night took place on the Houston Astros' home field, a big contingent of Braves fans were in the building — and they hung around after the game, gathered along the third-base line, and dutifully began booing as soon as Manfred began speaking.
Check it out:
Rob Manfred delivers World Series trophy to the BRAVES!youtu.be
It really was like clockwork: Cheers for the Braves at the start of the video, immediate boos when Manfred began to speak, and cheering for the Braves after he was done.
Manfred already was on the hot seat — and getting massively mocked — after the Braves won the National League Championship Series over the Los Angeles Dodgers last week.
The reason? Manfred got woke in April and pulled the All-Star Game out of Atlanta over Georgia's new voting law. At the time Manfred said it was "the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport," that pro baseball "fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions at the ballot box," and that "fair access to voting continues to have our game's unwavering support."
Georgia's election reforms include requiring absentee ballots be verified with a photo ID and expanding early voting for primary and general elections — changes generally supported by Republicans and opposed by Democrats.
After Manfred dumped Atlanta as the All-Star Game's host city, Georgia's Republican Gov. Brian Kemp said "Georgians — and all Americans — should fully understand what the MLB's knee-jerk decision means: cancel culture and woke political activists are coming for every aspect of your life, sports included."
The Braves also issued a statement upon hearing the news saying they were "deeply disappointed" in the decision and that "unfortunately, businesses, employees, and fans in Georgia are the victims of this decision."
Indeed, according to Fox News, the move actually was seen as hurting minorities by moving revenue from 51% black Atlanta to 76% white Denver, the All-Star Game's eventual landing spot.
Atlanta fans tore into Manfred and relished the vision of him handing the World Series trophy to the Braves — the ultimate revenge.
And then that very thing happened on live TV.
With that, Braves fans got in Manfred's virtual face once again and dined on their three-piece suit-wearing pound of flesh while basking in victory:
Oh, and this:
The Braves winning the World Series is a smack in the face to woke MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred for moving the All-Star Game out of Atlantahttps://notthebee.com/article/the-braves-winning-the-world-series-is-a-smack-in-the-face-to-the-woke-mlb-for-moving-the-all-star-game-out-of-atlanta\u00a0\u2026
— Not the Bee (@Not_the_Bee) 1635950723
Major League Baseball's woke idea in early April apparently was to punish Georgia for what it viewed as its unfair, recently passed voting law by yanking the All-Star Game from Atlanta.
At the time, MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred Jr. said the move was "the best way to demonstrate our values as a sport," that pro baseball "fundamentally supports voting rights for all Americans and opposes restrictions at the ballot box," and that "fair access to voting continues to have our game's unwavering support."
Georgia's election reforms include requiring absentee ballots be verified with a photo ID and expanding early voting for primary and general elections — changes generally supported by Republicans and opposed by Democrats.
After Manfred dumped Atlanta as the All-Star Game's host city, Georgia's Republican Gov. Brian Kemp said "Georgians — and all Americans — should fully understand what the MLB's knee-jerk decision means: cancel culture and woke political activists are coming for every aspect of your life, sports included."
He added, "This attack on our state is the direct result of repeated lies from Joe Biden and Stacey Abrams about a bill that expands access to the ballot box and ensures the integrity of our elections. I will not back down. Georgians will not be bullied. We will continue to stand up for secure, accessible, fair elections."
The Braves also issued a statement upon hearing the news saying they were "deeply disappointed" in the decision to move the All-Star Game out of Atlanta and that "unfortunately, businesses, employees, and fans in Georgia are the victims of this decision."
Indeed, according to Fox News, the move actually would hurt minorities by moving revenue from 51% black Atlanta to 76% white Denver, the All-Star Game's eventual landing spot.
Well, Manfred may have been able to deny Georgia a big national spotlight — along with coveted cash — by pulling the All-Star Game from Atlanta this year, but there's nothing he can do about the Braves punching their ticket to the World Series after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the National League Championship over the weekend.
The Braves will host at least games 3 and 4 on Friday and Saturday in Atlanta against the Houston Astros — and possibly game 5 on Sunday.
In the eyes of many folks, the Braves' appearance in the Series is some big-time comeuppance for Manfred and all those who supported dumping Atlanta for the All-Star Game.
At the top of the list was Kemp, who took aim again at Abrams — who has been a prominent voice against the state's voting law — as well as the MLB: "While Stacey Abrams and the MLB stole the All-Star Game from hardworking Georgians, the Braves earned their trip to the World Series this season and are bringing it home to Georgia. Chop On, and Go @Braves!"
While Stacey Abrams and the MLB stole the All-Star Game from hardworking Georgians, the Braves earned their trip to… https://t.co/wjil9uNRJ1
— Brian Kemp (@BrianKempGA) 1635047169.0
Another prominent Georgia Republican, Marci McCarthy — chair of the DeKalb GOP — reveled in the turn of events:
Congratulations @Braves ! ⚾️ Who needs the @MLB All Star Game when you get to play in the World Series! #GoBraves
— Marci McCarthy (@MarciMcCarthyUS) 1635047919.0
Other Twitter users expressed similar emotions:
And on the day the Braves got the bad news about the All-Star Game moving — April 2 — one user posted a humorous tweet referring to a famous scene from the beloved baseball movie, "Major League," which marks the turning point for the frustrated franchise in the film:
@Braves well, then I guess there is one thing left to do this year..... #ChopOn https://t.co/2PBJXFye58 https://t.co/MOILcuzTSC
— Brad Rose (@Brose1855) 1617404579.0
And the guy who posted the original tweet revisited it Sunday: "Only fitting ending is for Rob Manfred to hand the trophy to the @Braves organization."
An Atlanta activist is scrambling to raise thousands of dollars for a nonprofit serving underprivileged youths in order to make up for the shortfall created by Major League Baseball's decision to relocate its All-Star Game.
The post Atlanta Activist Launches Fundraiser for Nonprofit Hit by All-Star Game Boycott appeared first on Washington Free Beacon.