If you want to know endless trivia about baseball, I am not your gal.
I didn’t grow up in a state with a baseball team, so most of my baseball knowledge is attached to the movies that I watched about baseball in the 1980s and 1990s (often starring Kevin Costner or relating to the Chicago Black Sox scandal).
But when I saw a headline that said, ‘‘The Greatest Play in Baseball History” I was instantly curious.
Was it Babe Ruth?
Joe DiMaggio?
Hank Aaron?
I clicked on the link and saw the name: Rick Monday.
I’d never heard of him.
What play did he make that was so great?
I was curious…
The story goes back to Sunday, April 25, 1976.
That’s when baseball player Rick Monday’s life – and legacy – changed forever.
Monday had been playing in the major leagues since September 1966, when he joined the A’s during their last year in Kansas City.
He then moved with the team to Oakland, California, and was traded to the Chicago Cubs in 1971.
He was playing center field for the Cubs against the Dodgers in Los Angeles on April 25, 1976.
That was the game that would be associated with him for the rest of his career.
During the 4th inning, two people (a father and son) ran into left center field.
Baseball players like Monday had seen streakers, drunks, and other intruders on the field before, but Monday knew this was different.
Sportscaster Vin Scully cried out from the broadcast booth:
“Wait a minute, there’s an animal loose . . . two of them . . . all right . . . I’m not sure what he’s doing out there…”
“It looks like he’s going to burn a flag…”
The father and son had laid out an American flag on the field, doused it in lighter fluid and struck a match.
“I don’t know what I was thinking,” said Monday.
“But I knew what they were doing was wrong.”
Monday, who had served six years in the US Marine Corps Forces Reserves, ran toward the two of them as the wind blew out their first match.
As they were attempting to light the second match, Monday came up from behind them – and snatched the flag.
He continued running through the outfield as thunderous applause from more than 25,000 spectators filled the stadium.
Then, as the cheering died down, the crowd began to sing God Bless America.
“I was stunned,” Monday said, “I stood there and got chills.”
The protestors who were attempting to burn the flag were escorted out by security, and the game continued.
As Monday came up to bat in the top half of the 5th inning, the crowd at Dodger Stadium gave him a standing ovation, while the scoreboard flashed the message:
“Rick Monday... You Made A Great Play...”
Though the Cubs lost the game 4-5 in 10 innings, Monday returned to Chicago a national hero.
The Los Angeles Times called the photo of Monday running off with the flag as “the most famous picture of its kind since the flag-raising at Iwo Jima.”
Sporting News described the moment as “Francis Scott Key, Betsy Ross, Verdun and Iwo Jima—all wrapped up in one fleeting instant of patriotism.”
May 4, 1976 was declared “Rick Monday Day” in Illinois, and Dodgers’ executive Al Campanis presented the flag to Monday during a pre-game ceremony at Chicago’s Wrigley Field.
Monday was also awarded with a Bicentennial Commendation by President Ford, and was named the grand marshal of Chicago’s ‘Salute to the American Flag’ parade by Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.
Asked later about the incident on the field that day, Monday said:
“It angered me for a lot of reasons.”
“First of all, you're interrupting the game. Secondly, now you're bringing out a flag, and I was only about three or four years removed from being in the Marine Reserves.”
“It wasn’t about having some military background. It was about appreciating your freedom.”
“It's a good thing I did get it, because I did not want any of my former drill instructors from the Marine Corps to come and say, ‘Hey Marine! Why did you stand there and watch when they ignited the American flag?’”
A year after that famous game, Monday returned to LA — when he was traded to the Dodgers.
Monday played eight seasons with the Dodgers, and helped them win the World Series championship in 1981.
He retired as a player in 1984, and became a member of the Dodgers’ broadcast team in 1993.
Despite being a two-time All Star outfielder and having a 19-year-career as a Major League baseball player, Monday is still best known for his actions during the 4th inning on April 25, 1976.
“I’ve gotten a thousand questions wondering if I’m disappointed being best known for something that had nothing to do with baseball,” Monday said.
“My answer is, absolutely not.”
See Rick Monday’s moment captured here:
I’m still curious… Although I tried, I couldn’t find much information about the man who was arrested for attempting to burn the flag that day. He was identified as 36-year-old William Errol Thomas, and was convicted of trespassing. He opted to serve three days in jail instead of paying a $60 fine. His accomplice was his 11-year-old son.
Conflicting reports were made about his motivation. One report said it was in protest over the treatment of American Indians, and another said Thomas claimed it was to draw attention to his wife being put in a Missouri mental institution against her will.
Few details are known about Thomas, though in 2015 a reporter did track him down, along with his son, but both refused to be interviewed.
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I’ll keep saying it: Communication matters.
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Well, did you hear about the politician who has been called ‘crass’ and ‘condescending’ for the passive-aggressive notes he left government employees?
It’s so easy to make mistakes that cost you relationships, your reputation, and your job.
And good news, friends… If you want to improve your communication (and get all the good things that come with that), I’m your gal.
So many companies could reap so benefits – from performance and culture to retention and engagement – by improving their communication.
I help clients with communication strategy, planning, and thinking.
And I do the ‘doing’, too.
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Stay Curious!
-Beth
The Greatest Play in Baseball History