A curious incident occurred during Wednesday night's game between the Chicago Cubs and the Houston Astros when Cubs reliever Luke Little was told to switch out his glove by an umpire. The reason behind this unusual request? The black glove that Little was wearing had an American flag on it.
According to the umpire, the decision was based on Major League Baseball's rules, specifically one that prohibits white on a pitcher's glove as it could potentially be distracting to the batter. Little, who has been wearing this glove since his time at Class A ball, was surprised by the request as he had never been asked to swap out his glove mid-game before.
Following the Cubs' 4-3 win, Little shared that he has been wearing the American flag gloves for a while now without any issues. He also mentioned that the league contacted him after the game to address the glove situation.
Umpires made Luke Little switch gloves because he had an American flag on it. Unreal
pic.twitter.com/QtI3A2vMky— Sheffield Shuffler (@SheffieldShuff) April 25, 2024
This was a first for the 23-year-old left-handed pitcher who made his debut for the Cubs on April 3, sporting the same American flag patch on his glove. Little expressed his disbelief at the fact that a small amount of white on his glove could be perceived as a competitive advantage and questioned whether the league would have stepped in if the flag had not been involved. It is worth noting that in recent years, displaying the American flag has become a sensitive and often polarizing issue in the country.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell shed some light on the situation by stating that the umpire's decision stemmed from the fact that there was white on Little's glove, which could distract the batter. Counsell also mentioned that the league has strict rules regarding the color of a pitcher's glove and the flag on Little's glove did not conform to these rules.
Little, who had to change gloves and play with a stiffer replacement, admitted that he had to work a little extra to break in the new glove during the game. He also shared that the Cubs' equipment managers had received an email from the league, instructing him not to wear the flag glove in future games.
Proud to be an American 🇺🇸 Go Cubs Go pic.twitter.com/iKCPSvt8Gy
— Luke Little (@Luke_L23) April 25, 2024
Despite this setback, Little proudly represented his country and was unapologetic about wearing the American flag on his glove. He stated that the flag did not give him any advantage on the field and that he was simply showing pride in his country.
This incident highlights the sensitivity surrounding the symbolism of the American flag and the blurred lines between patriotism and politics in the country. Forcing a player to remove an American flag patch seems to go against the spirit of the game and speaks to the larger issue of societal divides in America.
However, there was a silver lining to this story. Little, who stands at 6 feet and 8 inches, took to social media after the game and shared a GIF of Hulk Hogan playing a guitar decked out in stars and stripes, with a giant American flag in the background. The message was clear – no matter the restrictions imposed, Little is proud to be an American and will continue to support his country in his own way.