Restoring the Sacred

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Sundays are for Beauty - Rick Monday


On April 25, 1976, Chicago Cubs center fielder Rick Monday rescued the American Flag from two protesters who were attempting to set the flag on fire in center field at Dodger Stadium. His saving that flag was later selected as one of the 100 Greatest Moments in Major League Baseball History. Rick Monday played 19 years of major league baseball (he was an All-Star in 1968 and 1978), and he is best remembered as the guy who saved our flag that day. He has no problem with that.

Interestingly, Tommy Lasorda was coaching third base for the Dodgers at the time of the incident, and he also raced to save the flag but got there after Monday. The following season, Lasorda was made Manager of the Dodgers and Rick Monday was his center fielder, having been traded by the Cubs after the season. Beautiful story!