Forty Years Ago, Rick Monday Saved American Baseball

April 27, 2016

Today out of the sports time capsule pops out Rick Monday, a professional baseball player who pulled off the most patriotic feat in baseball history forty years ago…Monday.

On April 25, 1976, an American flag was about to be burned by two protesters in the right field of Dodger Stadium. But, in a heroic American gesture, uber-patriot Monday sprinted over and swept up the flag, rescuing it before it could be immolated, much to the delight of everyone, everywhere in the USA. You couldn’t be more American if you tried. Unless you’re Audie Murphy.

Aside from the standing ovation the Dodgers fans would give him, Monday would actually become a Dodger later in his career.

Today we salute you, Rick!

Josh Helmuth is the editor of Crave Sports. Follow him on Twitter or like the channel on Facebook.

Photo: Getty

Josh is originally from the small berg of Arthur, Ill, proudly the Amish capital of the state. It also has one hell of a pumpkin patch.

Josh has enjoyed dipping his toes into a variety of careers since graduating from the University of Alabama, the most rewarding thus far having served as a youth director in southern California for four years, and his broadcasting career which has garnered two Emmy awards and three Edward R. Murrow Awards.

Josh enjoys loud rock music, Tom Hanks movies, dogs that like to cuddle and long runs. He is also always in search for America's greatest cheeseburger. Follow him here if you would like to be friends!