Cardinals deny Trump celebration accusations
The St. Louis Cardinals cleared things up regarding a celebration their players have done.
Teams have gotten into the habit of celebrating hits/extra-base hits with signals to their teammates in the dugout. The Cardinals are no exception.
After Alec Burleson hit a home run in the Cardinals’ 6-2 win over the Atlanta Braves on Sunday, he did a celebration as he rounded third base. Burleson cupped his left hand over his left ear and raised his right arm and pointed to his teammates. Two teammates were doing the same gesture back to him.
Is this a Trump home run celebration by the Cardinals? pic.twitter.com/f2XrQr0q3u
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 21, 2024
The Cardinals received negative attention over that celebration after some wondered whether they were doing a Donald Trump-related gesture. Some thought it looked like the players were holding their ear and raising their first the same way the presidential candidate did after being shot at a rally in Butler, Pa.
However, Cardinals veteran Matt Carpenter said after the game that the celebration is not related to Trump. Rather, he said the team is mimicking a disc jockey because Burleson was a rapper in college.
Matt Carpenter says celebration supposed to mimic a DJ with ear/headphones cupped, started early this month & inspired by Burleson’s “college rapper” nickname —Biscuit.
“Definitely not a political statement. That is off base,” insists Carpenter. #stlcards
— Derrick Goold (@dgoold) July 21, 2024
DJ Burleson is having a big season for the Cardinals. The 25-year-old outfielder is batting .293 with 18 home runs and an .820 OPS in 93 games.
