(670 The Score) Late Wednesday afternoon in Detroit, the Cubs were preparing to take the field at Comerica Park as a movement was breaking out in sports.
In a form of protest against social injustice, the Milwaukee Bucks didn't take the court for their NBA playoff game in Orlando. That contest and two more on the schedule were postponed. Three games in MLB were postponed as well as players chose to protest and raise awareness of social injustice in America. The protests came in the aftermath of the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin on Sunday.
As first pitch against the Tigers neared Wednesday, the Cubs were ready to play -- and also without much time to meet as a team to discuss the social issues. Starting pitcher Jon Lester was walking out to the bullpen when outfielder Jason Heyward requested that manager David Ross remove him from the lineup.
The Cubs were caught in an uncomfortable position with little time to make a collective decision. Heyward encouraged teammates to play, but he admitted the Cubs felt rushed into playing their game Wednesday. The Cubs were then off Thursday.
"It's fair to say we most likely would not have played (Thursday) if we had a game because we did play on Wednesday night," Heyward said Friday before the Cubs were set to play the Reds. "Because we would've had more time to discuss and digest it."
The Cubs plan to play at Cincinnati on Friday evening, Heyward said. It comes as MLB celebrates the legacy of Jackie Robinson, a pioneer for Black athletes.
Before taking the field at Great American Ballpark, the Cubs plan to hold a team meeting to discuss matters of social injustice. It will be the conversation they wish they would've had more time to hold before their game Wednesday.
The Cubs' meeting will be centered on how they can push for social progress.
"Without Jackie Robinson's situation, I'm not sitting in front of you as a Major League Baseball player without that progress," Heyward said. "We want to do our part to have that kind of progress. We want to be able to look back 10, 20 years from now saying in the year 2020, what we did made a big difference to move things forward. We're not going to solve everything. There are going to be things that happen again.
"All we can try to do is continue to bring awareness, continue to speak out on how we feel about it and when we have a chance, pull the plug on certain things, let people know that we're not going to be here as your distraction as entertainers and athletes. We care about these things too. We can't go home and see our kids, see our families and friends suffer from things while we're just sitting right here and everything is fine for us."
One way Heyward and other baseball players are making an immediate difference is with the Players Alliance, a group of current and former Black MLB players. Members of the group will be donating their salaries from Thursday and Friday to "combat racial inequality and aid Black families and communities deeply affected in the wake of recent events," the Alliance said.
Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein spoke with Heyward and told him members of the team's front office will also be donating a portion of their salary in conjunction with the Players Alliance.
Earlier this summer, Heyward and second baseman Jason Kipnis were part of a coalition of athletes who helped tear down a liquor store in Chicago's Austin neighborhood and create a food mart in a food desert. It offers fresh food for local residents as well as jobs for neighborhood teenagers.
Cubs players have gone to Heyward and expressed their support during a difficult week. That includes outfielder Ian Happ, who after hearing Heyward speak on Wednesday approached him with a message of love.
"I am so proud of him for the way he has handled every bit of this -- from day one, not just over the last 48 hours," Happ said. "I think he has been such a strong influence for the city of Chicago. This is dating back to as soon as he got here, once he got to the city. His contributions, his selflessness, his time, it's just amazing to watch. He's somebody I look up to and am so proud of."
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago's sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.
