San Francisco Giants pitcher Sam Coonrod quickly became a hero in conservative media Friday morning after he decided not to kneel during a demonstration for Black Lives Matter prior to the national anthem ahead of Thursday night's season opener vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Coonrod was the lone player on both teams who did not kneel with his teammates and grip a black ribbon during a narration from Morgan Freeman on racial inequality. After the narration was done, most players on the field subsequently returned to their feet for the national anthem, with the exception of Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts and a group of Giants players and coaches that included Gabe Kapler, Pablo Sandoval and Hunter Pence.