While watching the 2019 All-Star Game, my television screen started to glitter when New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman was summoned to the mound. His earlobes were decorated with diamonds. Chapman struck out all three batters he faced, while his diamond earrings outshined the actual diamond he was playing on at Cleveland’s Progressive Field.
Not to be outshined, Chapman’s teammate, second baseman Gleyber Torres, sported his own set of ear jewelry on his lobes. It seemed so awkward to see the glitter on these guys as they wore the famed pinstripes of their storied team.
The late George Steinbrenner’s Yankees are well known for their strict policy of no earrings on the field, to go along with their ban on long hair and beards. Chapman and Torres decided they wanted to look pretty for all the world to see, as they practically gave the finger to the late great Boss.
Steinbrenner must have been spinning in his coffin at the sight of his two star players defying the team’s policy. As I watched the Venezuelan born Torres strike out in his pinch hit at bat, I wondered what would the ex-president of his homeland, Hugo Chavez have done if Torres would have rebelled against the policy. The same goes for the Cuban born Chapman, if he defied the late Fidel Castro’s orders.
Not a peep was mentioned about the ear ornaments on the two members who play for baseballs’ royalty franchise. As we wait and see how far the ignorance plays out, somewhere in Scranton minor leaguer Clint Frazier is probably smirking in confusion.