Former MLB player Jim Edmonds was caught in the crossfire of fans on social media Thursday night when, during a live broadcast of a St. Louis Cardinals game, he said he was «shocked» that teams have chosen to change their names, referencing the Cleveland Guardians and the Washington Commanders. .
Edmonds, 53, was in the booth at the Cardinals’ game against the Houston Astros when, in the bottom of the seventh inning, he shared messages he received on social media from fans about the recent push for teams to change their names for having Native American nicknames.
The Cleveland Rangers logo on the jersey of Myles Straw during the third inning of game two of a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field on April 20, 2022 in Cleveland. (Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
“You know, what’s really fun is when people come up to you and say, ‘Hello, I’m from this area and we really love our baseball here.’ And someone else will say, ‘Yeah, I wish they had the old names they used to have.’ It’s funny to hear everyone’s opinion.» The cardinals said the legend.
ESPN HOST APOLOGIZES AFTER MOCKING INDIGENOUS NHL PLAYER’S NAME: ‘GREAT NAME IF YOU’RE A TOILET PAPER’
«I’m still amazed that we’ve changed so much as a whole that [we’re] the Cleveland Indians are no longer allowed to have, the Guardians. And I say that also because my wife is part American Indian.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
«I always thought it was a great thing, not a bad thing, to have a team with the name of the Indians or vice versa, whatever, the Washington Redskins».
While some have come to Edmonds’ defense for sharing his opinion, many have called his comments problematic.
Jim Edmonds rounds third base during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Busch Stadium in St. Louis on May 13, 2006. (GN Lowrance/Getty Images)
«Maybe this will finally get Jim Edmonds out of Cardinals games,» a user on Bally Sports Midwest tweeted.
Another person called him a «horrible contract» and a «trash human being.»
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The Commanders retired their previous name in July 2020 after decades of complaints that it was insensitive to Native Americans. Eighteen months later, Washington’s new identity was revealed.
A section of stadium seating with the Washington Commanders logo before a game between the Washington Commanders and the Cleveland Browns at FedEx Field on January 1, 2023 in Landover, Maryland. (Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
«As an organization, we are excited to come together and grow together under our new identity as we pay tribute to our local roots and what it means to represent the nation’s capital,» former co-owner Dan Snyder said in a statement at the time. .
Cleveland followed suit in July 2021, changing its name for the first time since 1915 to the Guardians.