Sep 10, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher John Holdzkom (43) walks to the bullpen wearing a pink bullpen rookie goodie bag at the start of a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Pirates defeated the Phillies 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
The Colorado Rockies, and pretty much every other Major League team, haze their rookies near the end of every season. Is it a good tradition?
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The Colorado Rockies and all 29 other Major League Baseball teams follow the time-honored tradition of, on one of the last road trips of the season, dressing up their rookies in funny and/or embarrassing outfits as a way to welcome them to the team.
You know, bonding and baseball and stuff like that. Baseball players — really, all teams and everybody involved with team sports — are a weird group. Team bonding and/or hazing is a weird activity. Tradition plays a role.
And you’ve seen the pictures, it’s usually stuff like making the rookie wear the bullpen treat bag that’s bright pink (above), or more pointed funny stuff on team airplanes or in the locker room, here:
No biggie, right?
Well… not according to Athlete Ally, a sports-related LGBT group.
The director of that group, Hudson Taylor, said specifically about the cases where baseball players make rookies dress up as women in bikinis or dresses:
"“Requiring rookies to dress in feminine presenting clothing like wigs, dresses, and bikinis sends a strong and dangerous message that being a girl, woman, or feminine is somehow less than, and something to be mocked.”“Regardless of intent, as long as professional athletes participate in hazing of this kind, they will be continuing to perpetuate a culture that isolates, excludes, and marginalizes the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and female athletes.”"
That story was picked up by lots of people, from TMZ and Perez Hilton, to Yahoo! Sports, and now, I’m interested in what you think.
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