In the wake of news that Oakland Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell took a knee during the National Anthem Saturday, becoming the first MLB player to join the athlete protests that have rocked the sports and political worlds over the past year, Pirates first baseman Josh Bell vocalized his support for Maxwell, noting that the rookie catcher hails from a military family and brings credibility to the issue.
“I just saw it this morning,” Bell said of Maxwell’s protest. “I just read that he’s part of a military family himself, so I think that’s cool … his family’s shown that support so if he’s got a problem with what’s going on, that’s cool that he was the first to make a stand in his own mind.