Martina Navratilova penned a scathing criticism of Roger Clemens after the former baseball star questioned the MLB over its controversial stance on players wearing Bible verses. The ‘Pride Night hat controversy’ began after the MLB issued warnings to San Francisco Giants pitchers JT Brubaker, Landon Roupp and Ryan Walker due to them referencing Genesis 9:12-16 on their team-issued hats during their team’s Pride Night game against Chicaco Cubs.
While appearing on The Will Cain Show, 11-time MLB All-Star Clemens said:
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“We alter our uniforms all the time with numbers or somebody that has passed away. I know one time in Boston, Larry Bird retired. I put his hat on. They put 33, silver marker on the hat to honor Larry Bird. I did it for my mom and grandmother.”
Going on to voice his support for the players who choose to write Bible verses on their uniforms, Clemens added:
“I love it that these guys show the blessings that the Lord has given them to be out there on that field. That’s the way it was for me.”
He also urged the MLB to reconsider its rules when it comes to player uniforms.
“They do the special cleats where you can paint, do your cleats how you want it. Maybe they do something like that and guys can have a hat with a Bible verse. They feel strongly about it,” Clemens continued.
Subsequently, an X (formerly Twitter) user questioned Clemens’ take over the extramarital affair allegations against the MLB icon. Czech-American tennis legend Martina Navratilova took notice of the post and expressed her blatant dislike for Clemens, as she brought up not just the extramarital affair allegations, but also steroid use accusations.
“Never liked him. He cheated on his wife, he cheated with steroids and he is a sexual predator…,” Navratilova wrote.
Martina Navratilova took ‘homophobe’ swipe after prominent actor & comedian’s promise amid MLB Pride Night hat controversy
Actor and comedian Rob Schneider, like Clemens, is supportive of MLB players choosing to wear Bible verses or references on their uniforms. After the Pride Night hat controversy broke out, Schneider even vowed that if the MLB imposes financial penalties on players because of wearing Bible verses, he would clear the fines out of his own pocket.
Unimpressed by Schneider’s take as well as an X user who backed the actor and comedian’s stance, Martina Navratilova wrote on X:
“Eff off homophobes!!!!”
Navratilova, a former World No. 1 who won 18 singles majors during her playing days, came out as a lesbian in 1981. At the time, she was one of the first high-profile professional athletes to do so.
Edited by Sudipto Pati
