If you want to know what the American spirit is, don’t ask a politician.
Ask the dad coaching Little League after a 10-hour workday. Ask the single mom who prays over the dinner table even when she’s not sure how she’ll pay the light bill. Ask the soldier who salutes a flag that too many in Washington now treat like a political prop instead of a sacred symbol.
The American spirit was never about government. It was about grit, grace, and the stubborn belief that no matter who you are or where you start, you can build a life rooted in faith, family, and freedom. It’s the heartbeat of a people who crossed oceans, tilled soil they didn’t own, and risked everything for the promise of something better.
Today, that spirit feels tested — maybe more than at any time in our lifetime. We live in a country where politics has become sport, truth has become optional, and too many Americans are told that our Founding ideals are relics of oppression rather than beacons of hope. Both parties have lost sight of who they work for. Both Democrats and Republicans “govern” like it’s a game or street fight. Somewhere between strategy and survival, the people get forgotten.
I’ll say this clearly: I love America. And when you love something, you’re expected to be critical of it. If you didn’t love your kids, you wouldn’t discipline them. Love doesn’t mean silence — it means wanting the best for what you hold dear. My criticism of America isn’t born of cynicism. It’s born of conviction that we can do better because we are better.
But here’s the thing: the American spirit isn’t dead. It’s just been buried under noise. And if you listen closely — past the headlines, the outrage, and the endless finger-pointing — you can still hear it.
I heard it at a Buccaneers game this past weekend. I was still in the concession area grabbing a beer when the national anthem began. Without anyone saying a word, the entire concourse stopped. Vendors, fans, security guards — everyone froze in place. Hats came off. Conversations stopped mid-sentence. For ninety seconds, the chaos of modern life went silent, and every person stood shoulder to shoulder, facing the direction of a flag they couldn’t even see. That’s the American spirit. Not something choreographed or forced, but something instinctive. Reverence that lives deep in the bones of ordinary people.
The American spirit is defiant and hopeful all at once. It’s rebellious in the best sense of the word. Our Founders didn’t wait for permission to pursue liberty — they acted on conviction. And they didn’t do it for fame or profit. They did it because they believed that human freedom was a divine calling, not a political gift. That belief came straight from Scripture: “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” That’s not just a verse — it’s the origin story of the greatest nation on Earth.
Yet somewhere along the way, we traded that conviction for comfort. We let cynicism creep in. We started looking to politicians to fix what only character can. We looked to Washington for salvation when it should have started in our own homes, churches, and communities. We forgot that self-government begins with self-discipline.
When Alexis de Tocqueville came to America nearly two centuries ago, he was astonished not by our government but by our people — by their faith, their voluntary associations, their instinct to help neighbors before the state ever arrived. That’s what made America exceptional. Not that we were richer or smarter, but that we were moral and free.
Who needs to hear this? Honestly, everyone.
The young person taught that America is something to apologize for. The middle-aged voter who’s stopped believing that anything can change. The elected official who’s forgotten that public service is a trust, not a brand. And yes, even the conservative who’s become so jaded by corruption and media manipulation that they’ve forgotten hope is a weapon too.
We need to remember that pessimism never built anything worth keeping. Hope did. Faith did. The American spirit did.
If we can define that spirit, we can reclaim it. And reclaiming it starts with three things: we return to God, we rebuild the family, and we rediscover community.
No nation can sustain freedom without virtue, and no virtue survives long without faith. Our Founders knew this. John Adams said it plainly: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.” They didn’t separate church and state to erase faith from public life — they did it to protect the church from the state’s reach. Reclaiming the American spirit means bringing prayer back to dinner tables, courage back to pulpits, and humility back to our leaders.
Every cultural rot you can name — crime, addiction, confusion, despair — can be traced to the breakdown of the home. A strong nation begins with strong moms and dads who teach their children that life has purpose, that truth exists, and that love isn’t license — it’s responsibility. You can’t legislate that. You can only live it.
And the American spirit thrives in places Washington will never reach: small towns, ballfields, church pews, front porches. It’s where people still look each other in the eye and say, “How can I help?” instead of, “Who did you vote for?”
Reclaiming that isn’t about nostalgia. It’s about survival. Because when you know your neighbor, you’re less likely to hate him. When you serve your church, you’re less likely to feel hopeless. And when you live with purpose, you stop waiting for politicians to deliver meaning they were never meant to provide.
So yes, criticize the left for weaponizing victimhood. But don’t spare the right for losing moral courage. The problem isn’t just policy — it’s pride. It’s thinking we can restore the country through ballots alone without first reviving our souls.
The American spirit was born in defiance of tyranny, but it survived through obedience — to God, to conscience, to truth. It’s not red or blue — it’s red, white, and blue. And it belongs to anyone willing to live by the creed our Founders staked their lives on: that freedom is worth the fight, that virtue is worth the cost, and that faith is worth the ridicule.
We are not finished as a nation. We are being refined. And maybe that’s exactly what the American spirit has always been. Tested, but never broken; humbled, but never hopeless; faithful, even when the world mocks the faith itself.
As we stand on the eve of America’s 250th birthday, let’s take that spirit seriously. We’re a ways removed from the fireworks and speeches of July 4th, but those celebrations will come soon enough. The question is: what kind of country will we be when that day arrives? Let’s make sure that when America turns 250, she’s not limping into it — she’s standing tall, proud, and faithful. Let’s be in the best spiritual, cultural, and moral shape we’ve ever been. That would be the greatest gift we could give to the generations who will inherit her next.
Our anthem says it best: “The land of the free and the home of the brave.” Not the land of the perfect. Not the home of the comfortable. But of the brave — the men and women who choose hope over hate, sacrifice over cynicism, and God over government.
That’s the American spirit. And it’s still alive.
You just have to look around.
Because it’s us.
It’s We the People.
Gates Garcia is the host of the YouTube show and podcast “We The People.” Follow him on Instagram and X @GatesGarciaFL.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Crucifix and American flag at garage

Want To Understand The American Spirit? Don’t Ask A Politician.

America

Baseball

Family Values

Founding Fathers

Fourth of July

The Major League Baseball playoffs are here, which means the Boys of Summer are ready to battle for the ultimate prize – those oversized, coveted World Series rings.
What better time to look back at some of the very best baseball movies ever made? Some moved us or made us laugh. Others provided powerful lessons on the sport’s cultural impact.
All are worth a rewatch this time of year — in between playoff games, of course.
<h2>&#8220;The Natural&#8221;</h2>
<div id="attachment_978629" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978629" class="wp-image-978629 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-53-AM-3445-407x576.jpg" alt="Robert Redford. &quot;The Natural.&quot; copyright 1984 TriStar Pictures, Inc. All Rights Reserved. IMDB." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-53-AM-3445-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-53-AM-3445-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-53-AM-3445-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-53-AM-3445-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-53-AM-3445-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-53-AM-3445-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />Copyright 1984 TriStar Pictures, Inc. All Rights Reserved. IMDB.</div>
This 1984 keeper casts Robert Redford as an aging ballplayer attempting an unlikely comeback. Those &#8220;natural&#8221; talents helped him get this far, but his complicated past suggests that even God-given skills may not be enough. The all-star cast includes Robert Duvall, Glenn Close, Kim Basinger, and Richard Farnsworth under the direction of Barry Levinson (&#8220;Diner&#8221;) in his cinematic prime. &#8220;The Natural&#8221; packs plenty of magical realism into the narrative, focused on redemption and our all-American passion for second acts.
<h2>“Bull Durham”</h2>
<div id="attachment_978637" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978637" class="size-large wp-image-978637" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-58-AM-8592-407x576.jpg" alt="Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon. Bull Durham. Copyright 1988 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved. IMDB." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-58-AM-8592-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-58-AM-8592-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-58-AM-8592-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-58-AM-8592-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-58-AM-8592-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-08-58-AM-8592-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />Copyright 1988 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved. IMDB.</div>
Kevin Costner at the dawn of his legendary career. Susan Sarandon selling a sultry big-league “whisperer” like no other. A gangly Tim Robbins playing an &#8220;aw-shucks&#8221; pitcher coming into his own. There’s so much to love about this baseball rom-com, from the inspired dialogue to the bittersweet story of a minor league lifer coming oh, so close to The Show only to be upstaged by the new kid. Director Ron Shelton’s affinity for sports movies played out over multiple films (“Blue Chips,” “Tin Cup”), but he got the elixir just right with this 1988 gem.
<h2>“Field of Dreams”</h2>
<div id="attachment_978645" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978645" class="size-large wp-image-978645" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-01-AM-2743-407x576.jpg" alt="Field of Dreams. 1989. Universal Pictures. Gordon Company. All rights reserved. IMDB." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-01-AM-2743-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-01-AM-2743-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-01-AM-2743-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-01-AM-2743-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-01-AM-2743-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-01-AM-2743-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />Field of Dreams. 1989. Universal Pictures. Gordon Company. All rights reserved. IMDB.</div>
The 1989 sports fantasy has an almost spiritual pull on audiences, particularly sports fans. And understandably so. Once again, Costner is front and center in a story that weaves the national pastime together with fathers and sons, heartland USA, and redemption arcs.
The sublime cast, including Ray Liotta, Burt Lancaster (his final big-screen role), and James Earl Jones — who gives gravitas to the ultimate baseball movie.
“If you build it, they will come.” Try fighting back the goosebumps whenever that line is uttered. If the film isn’t enough, there’s a <a href="https://www.fieldofdreamsmoviesite.com/visit">Field of Dreams movie site attraction</a> in Dyersville, Iowa, for movie lovers.
<h2>“42”</h2>
<div id="attachment_978647" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978647" class="size-large wp-image-978647" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-07-AM-3910-407x576.jpg" alt="42. Warner Bros. Legendary Entertainment. 2013. All rights reserved. IMDB." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-07-AM-3910-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-07-AM-3910-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-07-AM-3910-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-07-AM-3910-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-07-AM-3910-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-07-AM-3910-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />42. Warner Bros. Legendary Entertainment. 2013. All rights reserved. IMDB.</div>
This overlooked 2013 film recalls one of the sport’s most impactful players. Sure, Jackie Robinson broke the “color barrier” by becoming baseball’s first black player, but it&#8217;s how he did it, with grace, class, and nonviolence in his heart, that made him an icon.
The late, genuinely great Chadwick Boseman brings Jackie to life, capturing both the player and the man behind the moment. Harrison Ford’s supporting turn as Branch Rickey, the Dodgers’ owner who took the biggest risk of his professional life by inserting Robinson into the lineup, is the film’s most welcome surprise.
Had “42” been made a few years later, it might have been stained by woke sentiments. Instead, it’s a fitting tribute to an American hero.
<h2>“Moneyball”</h2>
<div id="attachment_978651" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978651" class="size-large wp-image-978651" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-11-AM-4954-407x576.jpg" alt="Moneyball. 2011. Sony Pictures Entertainment. Columbia Pictures. Scott Rudin Productions. Michael De Luca Productions. All rights reserved. IMDB." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-11-AM-4954-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-11-AM-4954-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-11-AM-4954-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-11-AM-4954-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-11-AM-4954-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-11-AM-4954-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />Moneyball. 2011. Sony Pictures Entertainment. Columbia Pictures. Scott Rudin Productions. Michael De Luca Productions. All rights reserved. IMDB.</div>
A movie about baseball statistics? Yawn. Not even close in this case, thanks to the fascinating source material – author Michael Lewis’ tome of the same name.
Brad Pitt stars as GM Billy Beane in the story of the 2002 Oakland A’s, a mid-tier franchise that used a new approach to field a winning team. They couldn’t outspend the Yankees or Dodgers, but by deploying “sabermetrics” they defied the game’s odds.
It’s a fascinating look at modern baseball that&#8217;s given heft by a killer cast, including Jonah Hill, Chris Pratt, and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
<h2>“The Bad News Bears”</h2>
<div id="attachment_978673" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978673" class="size-large wp-image-978673" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-20-AM-9232-407x576.jpg" alt="The Bad News Bears. 1976. Paramount Pictures. All rights reserved. IMDB." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-20-AM-9232-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-20-AM-9232-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-20-AM-9232-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-20-AM-9232-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-20-AM-9232-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-20-AM-9232-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />The Bad News Bears. 1976. Paramount Pictures. All rights reserved. IMDB.</div>
Put this one in the “They couldn’t make THAT” today Hall of Fame. Walter Matthau plays the crusty coach of a ne’er-do-well Little League team that has more fight in it than even he realizes.
What makes it “problematic?” Consider the infamous scene where Matthau’s character passes out on the pitcher’s mound after one too many brews. Or how teammates swap racial slurs as casually as relay throws.
That’s not why these “Bears” are unforgettable. The film teems with fascinating characters, from pitching whiz Amanda (Tatum O’Neal) to bad boy Kelly (Jackie Earle Haley). The championship game is a keeper, brimming with suspense and the cold realities baseball supplies. 
<h2>“Major League”</h2>
<div id="attachment_978685" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978685" class="size-large wp-image-978685" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-28-AM-5947-407x576.jpg" alt="Major League. Photo by Mirage Enterprises. Paramount Pictures. Morgan Creek Entertainment. Copyright 1989. All rights reserved." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-28-AM-5947-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-28-AM-5947-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-28-AM-5947-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-28-AM-5947-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-28-AM-5947-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-28-AM-5947-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />Major League. Photo by Mirage Enterprises. Paramount Pictures. Morgan Creek Entertainment. Copyright 1989. All rights reserved.</div>
This 1989 corker captures the sillier side of baseball. The ensemble cast isn’t as deep as the Yankees’ Murderers’ Row, but everyone owned their parts to perfection. Tom Berenger. Charlie Sheen. Wesley Snipes. Corbin Bernsen. Bob Uecker. They’re all key elements in a seemingly inept Cleveland Indians (triggering!) franchise destined to lose enough games to spark the team’s sale.
Except they keep finding ways to win.
The comedy stays mostly faithful to the sport while doubling down on its colorful characters, crazy storylines, and underdog theatrics. Oh, and it’s relentlessly funny, even if it sparked two inferior sequels. 
<h2>“Eight Men Out”</h2>
<div id="attachment_978691" style="width: 417px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-978691" class="size-large wp-image-978691" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-31-AM-6690-407x576.jpg" alt="Eight Men Out. 1989. Orion Pictures. MGM. All rights reserved. IMDB." width="407" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-31-AM-6690-407x576.jpg 407w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-31-AM-6690-212x300.jpg 212w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-31-AM-6690-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-31-AM-6690-1086x1536.jpg 1086w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-31-AM-6690-1448x2048.jpg 1448w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/MixCollage-30-Sep-2025-09-31-AM-6690-scaled.jpg 1810w" sizes=" (max-width: 407px) 100vw, 407px" />Eight Men Out. 1989. Orion Pictures. MGM. All rights reserved. IMDB.</div>
“Major League” offered a palate cleanser a year after this sobering 1988 drama. Director John Sayles recreates the Black Sox Scandal, recalling how a pennant-winning team threw the World Series to appease the betting crowd. And, of course, earn a little scratch at a time when athletes weren’t as absurdly wealthy as they are today.
The White Sox assembled a &#8220;can’t-miss&#8221; squad of stars, but the persnickety owners refused to reward them for an unforgettable season. Enter some opportunistic gamblers who give key players an offer they should refuse, but don’t.
The strong cast includes D.B. Sweeney, John Cusack, and, yes, Charlie Sheen.
It’s baseball’s darkest hour, a cautionary tale that has kept the sport (mostly) clean ever since. We’ll leave the Barry Bonds debate for another day.
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<h2>Honorable Mention: “The Naked Gun”</h2>
No, director David Zucker’s spoof classic isn’t a baseball film, per se, though the film’s extended finale does take place during a baseball game. Lt. Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) impersonates an umpire to stop an assassination, finding himself calling balls and strikes in the process.
It’s one of the funniest moments of the film, capped by Drebin-the-umpire crying, “strike threeeee!” before the ball ever reaches the catcher’s mitt. It’s a perfectly silly baseball sequence, and one impossible not to include here.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

MixCollage-27-Sep-2025-11-41-AM-2576

The Best Baseball Movies To Watch This Postseason

Entertainment

Hollywood

Kevin Costner

Major League Baseball

Movies

Two Middle Eastern men accused of shooting a Texas youth baseball coach during a pregame prayer were handed immigration status by the Biden administration, The Daily Wire has learned.
Three men opened fire on the Ameripark youth baseball field in Katy, Texas, on Sunday from a nearby pasture, shooting the coach in the shoulder, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/wallercountysheriff/posts/pfbid02gy5JP5GCDkxYyDsSW4cBBuQnzE1mpkoE6cM9QSoCCJh5ERQytnvD7DqFjfXZBscgl?rdid=oLONrjJntJtH19n4#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Waller County Sheriff&#8217;s office. The three suspects — Mahmood Abdelsalam Rababah, 23, Ahmad Mawed, 21, and Mustafa Mohammad Matalgah, 27 — have been charged with deadly conduct and are each being held on $100,000 bond.
Mohammad Matalgah of Jordan was given American citizenship on Aug. 1, 2023, despite having prior arrests for drug possession, the Department of Homeland Security told The Daily Wire. Mawed, a Lebanese immigrant, entered the United States on an IR-2 <a href="https://www.uscis.gov/adoption/bringing-your-internationally-adopted-child-to-the-united-states/before-your-child-immigrates-to-the-united-states" target="_blank" rel="noopener">visa</a> — which is given to children of American citizens — on June 3, 2021, automatically granting him a green card.
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“This horrific act of terror firing on children praying before the start of a baseball game is pure evil,&#8221; Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. &#8220;These individuals from high threat countries were let in by Biden. They clearly were not vetting the aliens they were letting legally enter our country and even become U.S. citizens.&#8221;
“Not only did Biden fail the American people by leaving our borders wide open to criminals, but he also legally allowed them to gain status and citizenship to terrorize our communities,&#8221; she said.
The motive for the attack is unclear.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
SCOOP: Two of the men accused of shooting a youth baseball coach during a pregame practice in Texas were immigrants let in by Biden, DHS tells <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDailyWire</a>
Mustafa Mohammad Matalgah, an alien from Jordan was turned into a U.S. citizen by the Biden Administration, despite a… <a href="https://t.co/RnPx8JFUZT">pic.twitter.com/RnPx8JFUZT</a>
— Jennie Taer 🎗️ (@JennieSTaer) <a href="https://twitter.com/JennieSTaer/status/1971387102853054595?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
The Trump administration has been cracking down on immigrant crime with its mass deportation sweeps across the country. President Donald Trump&#8217;s Department of Justice has also commenced an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-orders-justice-dept-to-denaturalize-new-citizens-convicted-of-crimes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">audit</a> of the legal immigration system with an effort to denaturalize new citizens who may “pose a potential danger to national security.”
The injured coach, whose name has not been released, was airlifted to a nearby hospital and has since been discharged, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1217185030454181&amp;set=a.303691761803517" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the sheriff&#8217;s office.
Dramatic video of the attack showed bullets raining down as the young players ran for cover.
The team&#8217;s founder, Andy Baize, <a href="https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/baseball-coach-shot-katy-texas/285-6992be75-6eee-4938-8506-2ca48ef2e851" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> KHOU that the injured coach took a bullet to protect the children.
&#8220;He literally took the bullet for a child that was to his left and so thankfully we avoided a major disaster, still very very emotional over it,&#8221; said Baize.
&#8220;When he was struck by the bullet, his first reaction was to get down to the ground, cover his kids and get them to a safe space,&#8221; he added.

Untitled design (9)

Middle Eastern Men Accused Of Shooting Baseball Coach During Prayer Were Let In To U.S. Under Biden

Immigration

Joe Biden

Texas

Three strikes and you&#8217;re out! Maybe not so fast anymore after Major League Baseball announced Tuesday that it will roll out a new rule allowing players to appeal to robot umpires to overturn pitches they think were incorrectly called by human umpires.
The new rule will take effect for the entire 2026 MLB season and will give each team two opportunities to challenge whether a pitch was correctly ruled a strike or ball. The pitch will then be assessed through a complex automated camera system to judge whether the human umpire was correct.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BREAKING: Major League Baseball will use the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System (ABS) during the entire 2026 season
ABS CHALLENGE RULES:
&#8211; Each team will get two challenges and can keep them if they&#8217;re successful
&#8211; Challenges can only be initiated by a pitcher, catcher, or… <a href="https://t.co/xHkRIbHrRx">pic.twitter.com/xHkRIbHrRx</a>
— MLB (@MLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1970546182893248800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The rule to bring the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System to the MLB was approved Tuesday by the MLB’s Joint Competition Committee. The system had previously been used in the Minor Leagues, as well as during MLB spring training and the All-Star Game.
The new rules will allow two appeals per game for each team to challenge a pitch call. Challenges must be initiated by a pitcher, batter, or catcher right after the pitch. To challenge, the pitcher will tap his hat or helmet to let the umpire know. According to the MLB, “no help from the dugout or other players on the field is allowed.”
If a game goes into extra innings, each team will get one challenge per inning if it used up its challenges in regulation.
“Throughout this process we have worked on deploying the system in a way that’s acceptable to players. The strong preference from players for the Challenge format over using the technology to call every pitch was a key factor in determining the system we are announcing today,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said.
The MLB said that the system was “powered by T-Mobile 5G network&#8221; and &#8220;uses cameras set up around the perimeter of the field to track the location of each pitch and a graphic on the scoreboard shows the result of the challenge.”
&#8220;We’ve accomplished a lot through our longstanding partnership with MLB, and the rollout of ABS — powered by T-Mobile 5G — is one of our most exciting milestones yet,” said Mike Katz, the president of marketing, strategy and products at T-Mobile. “It’s a powerful example of how we’re using our technology to help MLB innovate, while preserving the character of the game we love.&#8221;

MLB: SEP 18 Giants at Dodgers

Major League Baseball Makes Final Decision On Robot Umpires

General

Sports

U.S.

A father who found himself at the center of a viral home run ball dispute says he’s “still in disbelief” after what was supposed to be a special father-son moment at a Phillies game turned into a nationwide backlash.
Drew Feltwell, who grew up in New Jersey but now lives in Florida, raced over to grab a home run ball hit by Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Harrison Bader at Friday’s game hosted by the Miami Marlins. But after he gave the ball to his son, Lincoln, an irate woman dubbed “Phillies Karen” stormed over and demanded he give it to her. Eventually, Feltwell gave in and handed the ball to the woman. This sparked outrage online and led to a campaign to dox and shame her for her actions. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A Phillies fan retrieves a home run ball for his son and this woman is furious she did not get the ball <a href="https://t.co/kDMMJrw2R5">pic.twitter.com/kDMMJrw2R5</a>
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) <a href="https://twitter.com/JomboyMedia/status/1964136365253083609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Feltwell family has been treated to many gifts in the wake of the baseball controversy, including a meeting with Bader, who gave Lincoln <a href="https://x.com/Phillies/status/1964152246779662478">a signed baseball bat</a>. A rep from the Marlins also gave Lincoln a bag of merchandise, and entrepreneur Marcus Lemonis <a href="https://x.com/marcuslemonis/status/1964181482672459822">wrote</a> on X that he’d be buying the family World Series tickets and an RV.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Going home with a signed bat from Bader <a href="https://t.co/pCaXHSjLgL">pic.twitter.com/pCaXHSjLgL</a>
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) <a href="https://twitter.com/Phillies/status/1964152246779662478?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Feltwell <a href="https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/sports/mlb/philadelphia-phillies/phillies-young-fan-harrison-bader-viral-home-run-ball-dispute/4264863/">told</a> NBC10 Philadelphia that they were celebrating Lincoln’s 10th birthday. “We’re just trying to make this week about him,” he said. “I felt like super dad putting that ball in his glove and giving him a hug.”
The father said the woman began screaming at him, saying, “That’s my ball!”
“Still in disbelief that she walked down there like that,” he told the outlet. “Just trying to set an example of how to de-escalate a situation in front of my son, I guess.”
He said he later apologized to Lincoln about his decision to hand over the baseball.
“I wish I had the ball for my son to put in his room next to the bat, but if I had the ball, I probably wouldn’t have gotten the bat, so it worked out fine,” Feltwell added, saying the woman was booed out of the stadium shortly after the confrontation took place.
“I hope that ball means a lot to her,” he said.
There’s been some back and forth online over how the situation was handled, who was in the right, and whether the backlash went too far. Several people were misidentified as the woman who demanded the baseball.
A woman named Cheryl Richardson-Wagner insists she wasn’t Phillies Karen. “OK everyone … I’m not the crazy Philly Mom (but I sure would love to be as thin as she is and move as fast) …. And I’m a Red Sox fan,” she shared on Facebook.
After one rumor took hold that the Phillies fan was a Hammonton School District employee, the district also issued a statement. 
“The woman identified on social media as ‘Phillies Karen’ is not, and has never been an employee of the Hammonton Public Schools located in Hammonton, New Jersey,” the district said. “Anyone who works for our school district, attended as a student or lives in our community would obviously have caught the ball bare-handed in the first place, avoiding this entire situation!”

Harrison Bader

‘Still in Disbelief’: Dad Caught In Viral Home Run Ball Drama Speaks Out

Dad From Viral Home Run Baseball Argument Speaks Out, 'Still In Disbelief'

Philadelphia Phillies

viral video

The following is taken from the opening satirical monologue of “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/the-andrew-klavan-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Andrew Klavan Show</a>.”
* * *
With the first female umpire now working in baseball, it’s time to take a look at how women have made historic strides in the world of professional sports by ruining everything.
You see, in the past, professional sports provided a safe method for wives to get their husbands out of the damned way by placing them in front of the television where they could watch something completely meaningless that wasn’t porn. That way, the wives could get their work done, and if they occasionally dropped in on the TV room with a sandwich and a beer, their husbands would happily devote the rest of their lives to their support and happiness. Later, over dinner, the husbands could describe every play of the game in agonizing detail, which would give the wives time to mentally organize their schedules for the week, since they didn’t have to listen to a word their husbands were saying because it was just about a guy on TV hitting a ball with a stick for some reason. At least their husbands hadn’t spent the day watching some naked girl pretend to enjoy getting strangled during sex, which would only give them bizarre ideas about how they should spend the rest of the weekend.
Now all that has changed. Women are invading every aspect of sports so that men can watch other men doing useless things for no reason while thinking about sexual strangulation at the same time. For instance, after ball games, attractive female sportscasters are now assigned to interview players so male viewers can listen vaguely to some athlete saying, “You’ve gotta take it one game at time,” while simultaneously wondering what the female sportscaster would look like if she were wearing some ridiculous leather contraption and a pair of handcuffs.
Having more women athletes on the field has also changed the nature of sports by ruining everything. Sports used to reflect masculine values like winning and also more winning. But now sports also have to reflect female values which run the gamut from incomprehensible to non-existent depending on the woman’s mood on any given day. For example, when gymnast Simone Biles quit the Tokyo Olympics because she had some girly problem called the twisties, most men felt this was tantamount to losing which, according to many sports analysts, is approximately the opposite of winning. But no. The men were swiftly informed that, in fact, Simone Biles had been very brave to quit like a girl over her girly twisties. And ever since then, Olympic women’s gymnastics has included Quitting as an event, along with Crying, Hugging the Winner as if You Were Happy for Her, and Giving Men a Look that Says they Better not say Something Insensitive or There’ll be Hell to Pay.
<h3><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/the-andrew-klavan-show">WATCH: The Andrew Klavan Show</a></h3>
In women’s basketball, Caitlin Clark has completely transformed the game by causing people to realize there’s such a thing as women’s basketball. To thank her, black women players have been repeatedly beating the living crap out of Clark for being talented while white. This turns out to be a game that men will actually watch because it involves women wrestling with each other, so now men are showing up at women’s basketball games and hurling sex toys down at the court, which has also made the women’s game more popular by including sex toys. Even so, a woman’s basketball game remains the least popular American event that isn’t a colonoscopy, and when the players recently marched outside the stadium holding signs that said “Pay us what we’re worth,” they discovered they actually owed the league $15,000 apiece.
To prove that it’s not only women who ruin everything in sports, the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings have hired two male cheerleaders. So now, instead of an occasional amusing glimpse of pretty girls prancing around the sidelines in an intriguingly suggestive way, Vikings fans are being treated to two prancing homosexuals, something no sentient creature wants to see except other homosexuals who aren’t even watching sports because they’re homosexual.
And as for the first female umpire, so far her ball and strike calls have been about one and a half percent less accurate than the average male’s, which is being hailed as really great for a girl, and should transform the sport completely, by ruining everything.
* * *
This excerpt is taken from the opening satirical monologue of “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/show/the-andrew-klavan-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Andrew Klavan Show</a>.”
Andrew Klavan is the host of “The Andrew Klavan Show” at The Daily Wire. Klavan is the bestselling author of numerous books, including the Cameron Winter Mystery series. The fifth installment, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/After-That-Cameron-Winter-Mysteries/dp/1613166869/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3EGZUC370LG46&amp;dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Y_NI0mDOKeowShheDQTVx5NH-fAeimJoCD56_T0Acpl8C0mup7uJf-nGGSRLEItaaekoDnvS2vWLMa4Zd2UBXQ8Y-g-P502jOWz-Y8IX3ZQsdlO7WMLrg1xIhNoKmjCorSWUR4C2l_RbiZ7apJ1MfPzGOrrEf7AdAXX6xwnJRVP_XqUfWuMuVthTWscaU3P4vgmS86-96n-721enHfX12CFQWTajqFbVnrsDkexfUf4.6_gTH6h1Bb9Pn375QdF_VAVZSayDvjQBBKGXE-MTiFo&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;keywords=klavan&amp;qid=1754049918&amp;sprefix=%2Caps%2C80&amp;sr=8-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">After That, The Dark,</a> is now available for Pre-Order. Follow him on X: <a href="https://x.com/andrewklavan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@andrewklavan</a>
The views expressed in this satirical article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/subscribe/plus/?utm_campaign=summer&amp;utm_content=editorialsummersale&amp;utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=editorial">End of Summer Sale &#8211; Get 40% off New DailyWire+ Annual Memberships</a>

Indiana Fever v Connecticut Sun

Caitlin Clark Penalized For Being Talented While White

Andrew Klavan

Humor

Satire

Simone Biles

Women

Women's Basketball

Earlier this month, I attended a baseball game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.
I wasn’t there to see the Cardinals, but the Savannah Bananas, baseball’s answer to the Harlem Globetrotters. The Bananas dance, sing, and interact with the crowd throughout their games.
But for all that showmanship, the most remarkable thing I saw during the game happened off the field.
When “The Star-Spangled Banner” played, everyone stood, and the stadium fell silent. Those wearing hats removed them, and nearly everyone placed their hands over their hearts.
I glanced at the family standing next to me and saw a girl, around four years old, in her father’s arms. As the anthem played, she looked around — quiet, wide-eyed, and attentive. She pointed to the American flags flying around the stadium and displayed on the big screen. It was clear this was her first time experiencing this special ritual. When the anthem ended and the crowd erupted in applause, she hugged her dad and said, “That was nice.”
Moments like this remind us why standing for the anthem matters. It’s not simply a tradition or a requirement before a sports event; it’s a collective expression of unity and shared identity.
When the anthem plays, regardless of who we are or where we come from, we pause to recognize the freedoms and sacrifices that built this country.
Standing is a simple gesture with profound meaning. It honors the men and women who have served and continue to serve in the military, many of whom have given their lives so that we can enjoy the liberties we often take for granted. It also symbolizes deference for the struggles and progress that have shaped our nation’s history — from our founding ideals to the ongoing work of fulfilling those promises for all Americans.
For that little girl, the anthem was a memorable first impression of what patriotism looks like. Children learn not by what we tell them, but by what they see and experience. In a stadium of thousands, she witnessed what dignity, respect, and unity can look like when we rise not just as individuals but as one nation. That’s how a sense of national pride is passed on: quietly and powerfully.
Critics argue that patriotism is complicated, that history is flawed, and that our symbols don’t hold the same meaning for everyone. Those are valid conversations. But standing for the anthem doesn’t ignore our imperfections; it acknowledges our shared hope that this country, for all its faults, is still worth honoring. It’s not about blind allegiance; it’s about an ongoing commitment to each other and the idea of America.
In a time when division often dominates headlines, standing for “The Star-Spangled Banner” remains one of the few collective acts that can still bring people together — even if it’s only for under two minutes. It’s an opportunity for us to be reminded, and to teach our kids, that we’re fortunate to live in such a fantastic country.
That little girl may not fully understand what the flag means or why the anthem stirs emotion, but one day she will. And when she does, perhaps she’ll remember how it felt to see thousands of people at a Bananas game pause, stand, and express love of our country — not out of obligation, but out of gratitude.
Dr. David Lenihan is the CEO of <a href="https://phsu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ponce Health Sciences University</a>, a fully-accredited medical school with campuses in St. Louis and Puerto Rico. 
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Milwaukee Brewers v. New York Mets

Why We Stand For The National Anthem

National Anthem

Patriotism

Activists say climate change is causing increased home runs in major league baseball games, but the so-called science ignores the the actual mechanics of how baseball works.
Climate Central <a href="https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/baseball-season-heating-up-2025">published</a> a report saying 26 of the 27 MLB cities have experienced increased temperatures during baseball season from 1970 to 2024. The result, it says, is a 1% increase in home runs between 2010 and 2019.
Hot temperatures can indeed impact how baseballs fly. Warm air is less dense and reduces drag on the ball, making it fly farther. But a change in the number of home runs has far more to do with the ball than with the climate.
In the 2010s, MLB experienced a 46% increase in home runs, higher than the 44% spike from the steroid era in the 1990s, Sports Illustrated <a href="https://www.si.com/mlb/2019/12/23/baseball-decade-in-review">reported</a>. That included a record-breaking spike in 2019, breaking a previous record set in 2017.
An independent study, commissioned by the MLB, <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-releases-independent-study-of-home-run-surge">found</a> that the increase was the result of changes to the ball. The 2019 ball had lower stitches that led to reduced drag, making the ball travel farther than previous years. That change accounted for 60% of the increase in home runs, with the other 40% coming from changes in hitting strategies.
&#8220;Just to give you an idea, the change in seam height of a fraction of the thickness of a sheet of paper like this would give you a measurable effect in the change in the drag,&#8221; said Alan Nathan, professor emeritus of physics at the University of Illinois and one of the researchers of the study.
The original climate change study <a href="https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/bams/104/5/BAMS-D-22-0235.1.xml#fig1">admitted</a> the ball stitching had a greater impact on ball performance than increased temperatures.
&#8220;Other factors such as changes in the height of the stitches on the baseball appear to have been more important in driving recent home run trends,&#8221; the study said.
But Climate Central dismissed the MLB&#8217;s study as &#8220;ongoing research&#8221; that was simply &#8220;testing various explanations&#8221; for the increase in home runs.
This year <a href="https://x.com/hausfath/status/1919483498458427874">could be</a> the second-hottest on record behind 2024, according to climate scientist Zeke Hausfather. If the climate change home run theory is accurate, the MLB should be seeing an increase of about 58 home runs this year.
But &#8220;home runs as a percentage of fly balls hit in March, April and May are at an eight-year low&#8221; across 28 of 30 MLB stadiums, The Athletic <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20250613142104/https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6422877/2025/06/13/mlb-baseball-fly-ball-distance-drag/">found</a>.
Instead of seeing less drag due to hot temperatures, the 2025 season has seen more drag on the ball. Baseballs are coming up about four feet short compared to the previous nine seasons, according to a review by The Athletic of public MLB data.
The league has identified a possible, tiny change to the ball&#8217;s seam width or height but has not made any conclusions, The Athletic said.
The increase in drag comes after MLB has altered the ball to reduce year-to-year swings in drag, the outlet reported.
&#8220;MLB bought the ball manufacturer, changed the bounciness of the inner core and installed humidors in every park,&#8221; the outlet said.
Drag became less varied in the four seasons after those changes, and the league has yet to identify the causes of this year&#8217;s increased drag.
Nathan told The Athletic that, correcting for air density, game-time temperature, and elevation, the ball traveled more than three feet farther in 2024. Still, he said there is more research to do.
&#8220;I would not take this to be the definitive word on the subject, as there is much more analysis one might do,” Nathan said.

Houston Chronicle

Swing And A Miss: Activists Blame Home Run Spike On Climate Change, Ignore How Baseball Works

Report Says Climate Change Increases Home Runs But Ignores How Baseball Works

Climate Change

Politics

Latin R&amp;B singer Nezza made waves before a Los Angeles Dodgers game on Saturday when she sang “The Star Spangled Banner” in Spanish despite being told not to.
The 30-year-old recording artist, whose full name is Vanessa Hernández, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@babynezza/video/7515995487342824734?lang=en">mocked</a> the controversy in a post on her TikTok account. “para mi gente [for my people]; I stand with you,” she wrote in the video caption, which has almost 8 million views.
“Watch the Dodgers tell me I can’t sing the Spanish ‘Star Spangled Banner that Roosevelt literally commissioned in 1945,” she gloated in a text overlay.
The video clip attached shows Nezza smiling and wearing a Dominican Republic jersey. A team representative can be heard telling her, “We are gonna do the song in English today. I’m not sure if that wasn’t relayed.” Nezza immediately stops smiling and says, “Ohhhh.” 
The video then cuts to a shot of her singing the anthem in Spanish with a text overlay that says, “so I did it anyway.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Singer Nezza was told by the Dodgers to sing the National Anthem in English but she sang it in spanish to protest ICE.
She then gets very emotional and cries over ICE deporting criminals who are in our country illegally. <a href="https://t.co/1sTDbXx3aT">pic.twitter.com/1sTDbXx3aT</a>
&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1934370251510309052?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Nezza followed up with <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@babynezza/video/7516015340464262431?lang=en">another TikTok</a> on Saturday night, saying through tears, “Safe to say I’m never allowed in that stadium ever again.&#8221; 
“Bear with me ’cause I’m still very shaken up and emotional,” the singer said in the follow-up before trying to justify her decision. “You can Google it, (but) I’ll just read it to you really quick: ‘It was officially commissioned in 1945 by the U.S. State Department as a part of President Franklin Roosevelt’s good neighbor policy to foster a better relationship with Latin America.”
“Because of this, I didn’t think I would be met with any sort of, like, no, especially because we’re in L.A., and with everything happening. And I’ve sung the national anthem many times in my life, but … today, out of all days, I could not, I’m sorry,” Nezza added.
“I just could not believe when she walked in and told me no. I just felt like I needed to do it. For anyone who’s been following me for a while, you know everything I do is out of love,” she continued. “And I am proud of myself for doing that today. Because my parents are immigrants, and they’ve been citizens my whole life at this point. They got documented really early, but I just can’t imagine them being ripped away from me, just even at this age, let alone [as] a little kid. What are we doing?”
On Sunday, a Dodgers team official told <a href="https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2025-06-15/nezza-sang-the-national-anthem-in-spanish-at-dodger-stadium-despite-teams-objection">The Los Angeles Times</a> that “there were no consequences from the club regarding the performance and that Nezza would be welcome back at the stadium in the future.”
Videos of Nezza’s Spanish rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” began circulating on social media, where it received mixed but mostly negative reactions. 
“Can you imagine what would happen if you did that in another country? The entitlement and disrespect is off the charts,” one reaction on X <a href="https://x.com/SKDoubleDub33/status/1934370881704227241">said</a>. 
“Kinda loses its virtue when you start posting about it for likes and attention without letting the recognition and praise happen organically. Shows you did it for the wrong reasons,” another commenter <a href="https://x.com/getwreckednerds/status/1934410660278042633">chimed in</a>.

Nezza

OFF PITCH: National Anthem Sung In Spanish At Dodgers Game In Protest Of ICE

Singer Belts National Anthem In Spanish At Dodgers Game Despite Being Warned Not To

California

Celebrities

Los Angeles

Los Angeles Dodgers

singer

TikTok

Longtime Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw added a subtle change to his Pride Night cap, printing &#8220;GEN 9:12-16&#8221; next to the rainbow-colored team logo.
Leading Report (@leadingreport) shared the news via X along with a photo of Kershaw&#8217;s cap and the text of the verses the pitcher was referencing — verses that reference God&#8217;s promise to Noah, when He sent the rainbow as a sign that He would never again destroy the earth with a flood.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
BREAKING: Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw wrote “Genesis 9:12-16” on his ‘pride’ hat.
12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: 
13 I have set my bow in the cloud, and… <a href="https://t.co/mPU94lYPxk">pic.twitter.com/mPU94lYPxk</a>
— Leading Report (@LeadingReport) <a href="https://twitter.com/LeadingReport/status/1934018900221423971?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;BREAKING: Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw wrote &#8216;Genesis 9:12-16&#8242; on his ‘pride’ hat. 12 And God said, &#8216;This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: 13 I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. 14 When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. 16 When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.&#8217; Genesis 9:12-16 ESV,&#8221; the post read.
Kershaw, a Christian, also <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/sports/dodgers-clayton-kershaw-displays-bible-passage-hat-during-pride-night">spoke out</a> in 2023 when the team planned to honor the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence — a group of &#8220;queer and trans nuns&#8221; who combine drag and religious imagery — by announcing the team&#8217;s faith and family night early.
&#8220;I think we were always going to do Christian Faith Day this year, but I think the timing of our announcement was sped up,&#8221; Kershaw said. &#8220;Picking a date and doing those different things was part of it as well. Yes, it was in response to the highlighting of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence [by the Dodgers].&#8221;
Kershaw said at the time that his objection was specifically to the Sisters and that he did not plan to boycott Pride Night, &#8220;I don’t agree with making fun of other people’s religions. It has nothing to do with anything other than that. I just don’t think that, no matter what religion you are, you should make fun of somebody else’s religion. So, that’s something that I definitely don’t agree with.&#8221;

Los Angeles Dodgers v St. Louis Cardinals

Dodgers Ace Clayton Kershaw Adds Bible Reference To Rainbow Hat For Pride Night

Pride Month

Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) tried to attack Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for taking a moment to enjoy the annual Congressional baseball game, claiming that he&#8217;d left National Guard troops and U.S. Marines deployed in California without access to basic necessities.
Newsom was responding to a photo, posted by the @DODRapidResponse account, that showed Hegseth taking in the Wednesday evening game with family. &#8220;America&#8217;s @SecDef. America&#8217;s favorite pastime,&#8221; the caption read.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
America’s <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecDef</a> 🫱🏻‍🫲🏻 America’s favorite past time <a href="https://t.co/dzQ9f86dwi">pic.twitter.com/dzQ9f86dwi</a>
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DODResponse/status/1932941408333410316?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Newsom replied with one of the same photos he&#8217;d shared earlier in the week — when he&#8217;d claimed that President Donald Trump and Hegseth had deployed troops to California without ensuring that their basic needs were met — and argued further that the National Guard and Marines &#8220;weren&#8217;t needed&#8221; in the first place.
&#8220;Pete sent 4,700 troops here (when they weren’t needed) without adequate fuel, food, water or a place to sleep. But don’t worry, he’s at a baseball game,&#8221; Newsom posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Pete sent 4,700 troops here (when they weren’t needed) without adequate fuel, food, water or a place to sleep.
But don’t worry, he’s at a baseball game. <a href="https://t.co/C6g0327GCF">https://t.co/C6g0327GCF</a> <a href="https://t.co/2L1G9qN3LT">pic.twitter.com/2L1G9qN3LT</a>
— Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) <a href="https://twitter.com/GavinNewsom/status/1933006152784380095?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The @DODRapidResponse account responded with a photo from the riots that rocked Los Angeles for two days before Trump ordered the California National Guard to provide assistance to local law enforcement. In the photo, a man could be seen waving a Mexican flag, surrounded by smoke from the cars that were being burned in the streets. Accompanying the photo was a two-word caption, mockingly quoting Newsom&#8217;s claim that the troops &#8220;weren&#8217;t needed.&#8221;
<a href="https://get.dailywire.com/gift/?utm_medium=website&amp;utm_source=wisepops&amp;utm_campaign=dad&amp;utm_content=fathersdaygiftpopups" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gift Dad an All Access Membership. Use code DAD40 at checkout to save 40%!</a>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
“Weren&#8217;t needed” <a href="https://t.co/27EfQvFhma">https://t.co/27EfQvFhma</a> <a href="https://t.co/MpFuX65eH2">pic.twitter.com/MpFuX65eH2</a>
— DOD Rapid Response (@DODResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DODResponse/status/1933018628418306264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Protests and riots had erupted in the Los Angeles area beginning nearly a week prior, when demonstrators attempted to disrupt Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as they conducted operations. In the days that followed, rioters destroyed property, looted stores, and attacked local law enforcement officers and federal agents. Blaming Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, also a Democrat, for failing to protect people, Trump ordered first the National Guard and then a number of active duty Marines to rein in the situation.

Vogue World: Hollywood Press Announcement

Newsom Tries To Wreck Hegseth For Attending Congressional Ball Game. It Doesn’t Go Well.

Newsom Tries To Wreck Hegseth For Attending Congressional Ball Game. It Doesn't Go Well.

Donald Trump

Gavin Newsom

National Guard

Pete Hegseth

Riots

Republicans clobbered Democrats for the fifth consecutive year in last night&#8217;s Congressional Baseball Game. Rep. August Pfluger, the Republican Study Committee Chairman, who clinched his second <a href="https://pfluger.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=610" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MVP</a> title, joined Crain &amp; Company before the game to share his thoughts on why the GOP has won every game since 2022.
&#8220;What I&#8217;d say to America is, forget about baseball, take the uniforms off, just stand us side by side: who do you want leading the country? I&#8217;ll leave that up to America to decide. Not that baseball is an indicator of legislating, but it kind of is.&#8221;
&#8220;My district cares that I can represent them legislatively. But they really care if I can play baseball,&#8221; Pfluger added.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/episode/are-republicans-better-athletes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: REP. AUGUST PFLUGER JOINS CRAIN AND COMPANY TO TALK CONGRESSIONAL BASEBALL GAME</a>
Pfluger, who was a <a href="https://sanangelolive.com/news/sports/2023-06-14/congressmen-pfluger-pitch-congressional-baseball-game-wednesday" target="_blank" rel="noopener">high school</a> quarterback and catcher, has played for the GOP since 2022, pitching for them in 2023. He noted how seriously he and his teammates take the game, describing intense, early-morning practices.
&#8220;We practice at least 25 times, and by the way, we&#8217;re not practicing at 8:00 a.m. It&#8217;s a 5:45 start time,&#8221; Pfluger said. &#8220;We&#8217;re out there throwing, we come back, we&#8217;re icing the shoulder a little bit, in my case, and then we go to work at 7:30, 8:00.&#8221;
The Congressional Baseball Game has been <a href="https://www.congressionalbaseball.org/history/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">played</a> intermittently since 1909. While Democrats dominated at first, Republicans have won 46 games compared to the Democrats’ 42. Funds from the game go towards various charities. This year’s game <a href="https://www.congressionalbaseball.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">benefited</a> the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, the Tim Johnson Memorial Scholarship, and Nationals Philanthropies.
&#8220;You&#8217;ve got the Republicans vs. the Democrats, which to me just seems like a bloodbath,&#8221; Crain &amp; Co. co-host Jake Crain told Pfluger. Asked by Crain &amp; Co. co-host David Cone just &#8220;how intense&#8221; the game really is, Pfluger was unequivocal.
&#8220;It is intense&#8230;when we get out there on the field, we&#8217;re trying to win,&#8221; he said. &#8220;This is not bipartisan,&#8221; Pfluger said. &#8220;This is a real baseball game.&#8221;
&#8220;The Dems can&#8217;t get a dub if you handed it to them on a plate right now! Nobody buries them deeper than those guys,&#8221; Jake Crain noted.
Last night&#8217;s game also marked the return to the field of Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL), who made history as one of the few players to get an out-of-the-park home run in the 2021 game. Steube missed the past few Congressional Baseball Games due to an injury.
&#8220;This has been the best interview I&#8217;ve done in five years,&#8221; Pfluger told the Crain &amp; Co. boys. &#8220;Thank you for letting me talk about sports.&#8221;

Congressional Baseball Game 2025

WATCH: Rep. Pfluger Tells Crain & Co. Why The GOP Always Wins The Congressional Baseball Game

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