MLB Rookie of the Year Pete Alonso Wears ‘Love Your Neighbor,’ While Teammates Wear ‘BLM’

MLB Rookie of the Year Pete Alonso Wears ‘Love Your Neighbor,’ While Teammates Wear ‘BLM’
(Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Michael Wing
7/29/2020
Updated:
7/30/2020

New York Mets player Pete Alonso wore a shirt emblazoned with a biblical verse during a warmup before a match against the Atlanta Braves Friday, while numerous teammates have worn Black Lives Matter shirts during previous warmups.

The National League Rookie of the Year and Home Run Derby champion, Alonso wore a shirt with the words “Love Your Neighbor” from Mark 12:31.

Center fielder Brandon Nimmo joined Alonso in wearing the biblical shirt.

Several fellow players who have worn Black Lives Matter shirts include pitcher Marcus Stroman, third baseman Jeff McNeil, shortstop Amed Rosario, designated batter Yoenis Céspedes, infielders Luis Guillorme and Andrés Giménez, center fielder Jake Marisnick, and others.

Pete Alonso #20 of the New York Mets poses for a photo on Photo Day at First Data Field on Feb. 21, 2019, in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Pete Alonso #20 of the New York Mets poses for a photo on Photo Day at First Data Field on Feb. 21, 2019, in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Although Alonso did not wear a BLM shirt, he has expressed support for the group on social media. After posting a blacked-out photo on Instagram, a person commented “All Lives Matter,” to which, as New York Post reported, he replied:

“Get out of here with that ignorance. Of course everybody’s life matters but we’re focusing on the widespread racism in our country right now. The question is, why does the black lives matter movement bothers you enough to have to say all lives matter?”

He also told Instagram users:

“I’ve done a lot to thank our frontline workers and first responders and have never promoted violence,” he wrote in another comment under the post. It’s an amazing concept that you can be against the systematic racism in our country and fight for something to change as well as see the good in people and see what our first responders that have all citizens best interest at heart do for our communities.”

Pete Alonso of the New York Mets competes in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Progressive Field on July 8, 2019, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Pete Alonso of the New York Mets competes in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Progressive Field on July 8, 2019, in Cleveland, Ohio. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Last year, ahead of a game on the anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, Alonso provided custom-made cleats to his teammates with the words “We will never forget.”

He also donated 5 percent of the Home Run Derby winnings last year to the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which supports people impacted by the Twin Tower attacks, as well as first responders and military veterans, SYN reported.
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Michael Wing is a writer and editor based in Calgary, Canada, where he was born and educated in the arts. He writes mainly on culture, human interest, and trending news.
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