Baseball, US Flag, Patriotism, and a Dead Photographer

bmattock

bmattock

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This one has everything. I don't want to quibble - it has a lot of heart-felt emotion in it. One might note that Baseball is played in Canada, too. So I wonder how the feel about this being one of the "greatest moments in baseball."

However, in sheer feel-good, it is a topper. And even on topic - sad story at the end about the photographer.

2006-04-24-rick-monday.jpg


Photo by Jim Roark, Los Angeles Herald Examiner via AP

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/2006-04-25-rick-monday_x.htm

Flag-saving moment still winning salutes
Updated 4/25/2006 2:49 AM ET
By Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY
The hand was trembling, the voice was quivering and tears were running down his face. The World War II soldier, who survived the Pearl Harbor attack, looked Rick Monday in the eyes, slowly raised his right arm, and saluted him.

"Thank you," Monday recalls the soldier telling him last year. "And thank you from all of my shipmates."

Thirty years ago today, Monday became an American hero.

It was the day he saved the American flag.

"It was the greatest heroic act that's ever happened on a baseball field," Hall of Fame manager Tom Lasorda said. "He protected the symbol of everything that we live for. And the symbol that we live in the greatest country in the world."

The Hall of Fame recently voted Monday's act as one of the 100 classic moments in the history of the game. Monday, who spent 19 years in the major leagues and is a Los Angeles Dodgers broadcaster, will be honored tonight with a video tribute at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

They'll replay a grainy videotape that was discovered in 1984 showing two people jumping over the railing in left field and spreading the American flag onto the Dodger Stadium turf. One man dousing the flag with lighter fluid. The other lighting a match. And Monday, playing for the Chicago Cubs, running in from center field, grabbing the flag and carrying it to safety.

They'll play Vin Scully's voice from the radio broadcast: "Wait a minute, there's an animal loose. Two of them! I'm not sure what he's doing out there. It looks like he's going to burn a flag. ...

"And Rick Monday runs and takes it away from him!"

And perhaps the crowd will duplicate the same reaction as 30 years ago: sitting in stunned silence, then standing, cheering and spontaneously singing God Bless America.

"It moved the entire crowd," Monday said. "I don't remember if we won or lost the game, but I'll never forget the people singing."

Monday, 60, a six-year veteran of the Marine Corps Reserves, still receives letters each week about the incident. Most are from military veterans, others from kids wanting to learn about American history.

"The world has changed," Monday said. "We weren't that far removed from Vietnam at the time. But what they were trying to do in 1976 was wrong. It's still wrong today.

"That little piece of cloth represents a lot of rights and freedoms that people have given up their lives to protect."

"It was a dramatic day, and a day that made you proud to be in baseball," Commissioner Bud Selig said.

Today, questions remain:

Why did these protesters, William Thomas, 36, and his 11-year-old son run onto the field to burn the flag? They were arrested and fined $60. Monday said he never was interested in asking. Attempts to locate Thomas, or to determine whether he's still alive, were unsuccessful.

What happened to the photographer, James Roark, of the now-defunct Los Angeles Herald Examiner, who shot the only photo of the incident? Roark, whose photo was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize, lost his job, became a night cook in Portland and was beaten and killed outside a restaurant in 1995. He was 49.

And the tattered flag that was soaked with lighter fluid? It's in Monday's possession in a safe-deposit box, surviving the hurricanes near his Vero Beach, Fla., home. He was offered $1 million for the flag several years ago, he said, but rejected the overture.

"The flag is faded, and it's somewhat tattered," Monday said. "It wasn't like it was just bought off the shelf. It wasn't in great shape from the start.

"But the flag is not for sale. What this flag represents, you can't buy."
Click to expand...
 
Bill, I appreciate your feelings so don't read this as a personal attack. I know you're one of the good guys. :)

That said, IMO without the story the photo is actually completely worthless. It's a good story, and the picture makes it visible for all of us who haven't lived the incident (let alone know these details of contemporary US history), but without the story the photo tells no story whatsoever. A classic? I don't think so.
 
RML said:
Bill, I appreciate your feelings so don't read this as a personal attack. I know you're one of the good guys. :)

That said, IMO without the story the photo is actually completely worthless. It's a good story, and the picture makes it visible for all of us who haven't lived the incident (let alone know these details of contemporary US history), but without the story the photo tells no story whatsoever. A classic? I don't think so.
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Don't worry, I don't take it that way at all. A number of things bothered me about it, including:

1) Baseball is supposed to be international. Would we feel the same if it had been a Canadian flag?

2) The photo itself is fine - pure photojournalism, just a grab shot of a newsworthy topic. But as you said, it doesn't tell too much of the story on its own. Not that it could have.

3) I actually support the right to freedom of speech, which would include burning the flag. I'd hate that someone wanted to do it, but would support their right to do so. Not in the baseball park though - that's private property.

4) The real story here - to me - is what happened to the photographer - why was he fired? How was it he could not get another job as a PJ? Why did he have to end up working as a short-order cook and then be murdered?

But the 'flag' story pulls at the heartstrings, so there you go.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
bmattock said:
Don't worry, I don't take it that way at all. A number of things bothered me about it, including:

1) Baseball is supposed to be international. Would we feel the same if it had been a Canadian flag?
Click to expand...

Actually, how would people (in the US, Europe, elsewhere) feel if it had been a Cuban flag? I think emotions could have flared even higher. Or, if it had happened only a few days ago, what if it had been a Palestinian or Iranian flag? Flags have a tendency to arouse people in ways nearly unimaginable.


3) I actually support the right to freedom of speech, which would include burning the flag. I'd hate that someone wanted to do it, but would support their right to do so. Not in the baseball park though - that's private property.
Click to expand...

And burning is IIRC the only proper way of disposing off a flag.


4) The real story here - to me - is what happened to the photographer - why was he fired? How was it he could not get another job as a PJ? Why did he have to end up working as a short-order cook and then be murdered?
Click to expand...

That struck me too about the story. Is this what happens to all those photogs that don't really make the grade? Like all those has-been movie stars, fading into oblivion? Though this photog's oblivion was particularly sad. Dang, makes you wonder....
 
RML said:
And burning is IIRC the only proper way of disposing off a flag.
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Well, yes, but not on a baseball field during the game, I think. I rather suspect that this guy and his kid were not trying to show proper respect for a retired national ensign.

That struck me too about the story. Is this what happens to all those photogs that don't really make the grade? Like all those has-been movie stars, fading into oblivion? Though this photog's oblivion was particularly sad. Dang, makes you wonder....
Click to expand...

Yeah, it does. And so it goes...

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
Bill, it s an interesting story I did not know. So I learned something important. It s very sad about the photographer. In my opinion is very upsetting that in was fired, did not find any other job and at the end was killed. Maybe we are not sure it was direct related to the story, but of course anyway very suspicious. I don't know how to comment. In those days in Italy we have some protest going on and also people burning some flags in the street. Personally I think that everyone has the right to protest, but burning a flag bring them to a very low level. We can protest with words, images, songs. march, theater or underground papers etc etc, Anyway I thank you for having me let know a piece of history about your country, ciao
robert
 
It took me a bit, but I finally found information on the photographer who was killed:

FORMER L.A. HERALD-EXAMINER PHOTOGRAPHER JIM ROARK KILLED IN ROBBERY
-----------------------

"Former Los Angeles photographer James Roark died Thursday of
injuries suffered in a savage beating four days earlier when he left his
job at a night cook in Portland, Ore., employment he landed after he
lost his job when the Herald-Examiner folded.


"'He was kind of a gentle, harmless sort of individual, just bumping
along through life the best he could,' said Hal Hulburt, owner of Poor
Richard's Restaurant, where Roark, 49, had worked for 1 1/2 years.


"As chief sports photographer for the Herald Examiner, Roark took
the 1976 photo, nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, that showed Chicago
Cubs outfielder Rick Monday grabbing an American flag from two
protesters who were about to set it on fire.


"Roark adopted his last name after reading the Ayn Rand novel "The
Fountainhead," who main character, a staunchly individualistic
architect, is named Roark.


"Roark lost his job when the Herald closed in November 1989. He
stayed to help dismantle the paper, then left for Portland, where he
attended the Western Culinary Institute, graduating in 1993.


"Robbery apparently was the reason two men and a woman attacked
him near a light-rail transit station, police said. No arrests have been
made."
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Here is a photo of the photographer that I found - I believe this is Jim Roarke:

http://www.gulker.com/photos/archive/photographers/photographers-Pages/Image10.html

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
What a sad way for a person to have his/her life ended. I had to read the story, without which I would not understand the photo or the sentiment it generated. I would prefer that all flags be treated with dignity and respect.

Nikon Bob
 
Mr. Roark sounds like quite an amazing person. I read the novel "The Fountainhead" the story of architect Howard Roark. It's funny, because when I first hear the photographer's name, I thought instantly of Ayn Rand's novel, and it turns out that's where the guy got his name from!
 
In Canada there would be, I'm pretty certain, a range of reactions to the burning or other "dishonourable" treatment of the flag. But our flag is more an object of affection than sacred symbol of patriotism. Don't get me wrong, as a lot Canadians are patriotic, but we see American veneration of the flag as more of sort of silly idolatry than as reasoned patriotism. It's a piece of cloth (well, synthetic weaving in most cases), and the real significance is simply the values and freedom it is intended to symbolize.

I agree, Bill, that the freedom of speech is more important than the cloth.

But when your colour guard flew our flag upside down during the first Jays world series, we were really, really pissed ... after we got done laughing.
 
To me I say that the picture does tell a story. Monday running off with the flag, while the would be flag burners neel on the ground looking quiete surprised. It is a classic because it caches a classic moment in baseball history. Freedom of speech is importand. However as far as flag burnign goes I guess you would have to ask yourself if you see the flag as a sybol of our government, or as a sybol of our national unifaction. For those of us who see it as a sybol of national unifacation, it is kind of like being flipped off when someone burns the flag. Also it can be insulting because a lot of people have known someone who has fought and died for what that flag stands for.
 
I remember that day. I used to listen to every Dodger game. I remember Vin Scully's call and Jerry Dogget (sp?) talk about it.

Monday was with the visiting Cubs. The would be burners jumped over the fence near the left feild foul pole. THey tried to burn the flag in left center. Monday ran, grabbed the flag, and dashed to the Dodger dugout near third base. The photo was taken from the photog well, next to the visiting Cubs dugout on the first base side.

Monday was considered such a hero, the Dodgers later traded for him.

The photo, as I recall was not in that nite's edition. The Examiner was an evening paper. I had to drive to get the late 5 star edition. I don't remember if the photo was in the 5 star or the next day's regular edition.
 
Yep that's how it is. (news) Photographers make shots and document important moments in life, the universe and everything, but they themselves will fade into oblivion.
We should all play baseball instead, and wait for our moment to save a flag or somethin.
 
A very large percentage of newspaper reporters and photographers leave the business in their late 30s or early 40s, and do something entirely different. This guy went to a culinary institute, so I get the impression he wasn't a McDonald's-type short-order cook. So I find none of that surprising. The way he died is tragic and absurd; that is not uncommon in our society, unfortunately.

JC
 
bmattock said:
1) Baseball is supposed to be international. Would we feel the same if it had been a Canadian flag?
Click to expand...
Baseball is identified as "American" as it is an American invention and export, like basketball. People in Cuba play baseball as a way of hopefully immigrating to the U.S. . If you ask anyone in Taipei (where I am) "where does baseball come from?" they'll answer "Mei Guo" (err... America).

It's like hamburgers...I can buy a hamburger down the street from me even though I'm 6500 miles away from where I'm from (L.A.) and the "homeland" of the hamburger. And if you ask anyone here where the hamburger comes from, they'll know.
 
BrianPhotog said:
Baseball is identified as "American" as it is an American invention and export, like basketball. People in Cuba play baseball as a way of hopefully immigrating to the U.S. . If you ask anyone in Taipei (where I am) "where does baseball come from?" they'll answer "Mei Guo" (err... America).

It's like hamburgers...I can buy a hamburger down the street from me even though I'm 6500 miles away from where I'm from (L.A.) and the "homeland" of the hamburger. And if you ask anyone here where the hamburger comes from, they'll know.
Click to expand...

MLB consists of US and Canadian teams. I would suspect that fans in Montreal would be somewhat less enthusiastic about endorsing the saving of a US flag from being burned as one of the greatest moments in MLB baseball history. Whoops, I just found out, apparently no more Expos? Well, I guess Toronto then. You can see I'm out of touch with sports.

I know well where baseball comes from - I am a student of US Civil War history. The guy got no respect.

Best Regards,

Bill Mattocks
 
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