Rays infielder Taylor Walls spoke about his victory celebration over the weekend, in which he imitated former President Donald Trump.
Walls, who hit a double in Sunday’s game against the Yankees in the Bronx, said pumping his fist and yelling “Fight, fight!” as the 45th president did after the assassination attempt at a July 13 rally was more of a “joke” than a symbolic “gag.”
“It was just a joke with the guys in the locker room.” he told reporters before Tuesday’s game against the Blue Jays.According to the Associated Press, “joke” may not be the right word to describe the incident, saying, “It was just something we came up with together and thought, this is kind of funny, and it’s OK.”
Trump was shot in the ear in an assassination attempt by Thomas Matthew Crooks just days before he was due to accept the Republican presidential nomination.
With blood coming out of his ears, Trump stood, pumped his fist and shouted, “Fight! Fight!”
Walls, who hit a double off Marcus Stroman for his first extra-base hit since June 25, added to reporters that a similar gesture he made on the field at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday was not politically motivated.
“It was more of a symbol of ‘Even if you get knocked down, you get up and keep fighting and keep trying,’ a kind of grit. [and] “It’s determination,” Walls said. According to the Tampa Bay Times.
“That’s what it was, in a way. It wasn’t necessarily directed at Trump politically. It was more the inspirational side of someone. [who] Their lives were nearly taken from them and their first instinct was to stand up and show strength.”
Walls added that he was inspired by Trump’s reaction to a near-death experience.
“I think it’s very moving that in a split second, anybody’s life can be taken,” Walls said Tuesday, “and people don’t really understand what’s going on in that moment.”
“Just being able to bounce back and show that strength means a lot to me,” Walls added. “Anyone who’s been through a situation or an event like that, you feel strong when it happens. To me, it shows a kind of character and I’ve faced similar challenges in baseball, but I feel like it was at a much more subdued level.”
Cardinals’ Alec Burleson made a similar gesture after hitting a home run against the Braves over the weekend, pumping his fist in the air and placing his left hand over his left ear as he rounded the bases.
St. Louis veteran infielder Matt Carpenter He told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch The celebration was also not political.
“It was never a political statement,” Carpenter told the outlet on Sunday.
“That’s way off the mark. It’s not a political statement at all, and it’s petty.” [for Burleson]”I understand why everyone is looking for something right now. The St. Louis Cardinals are not involved in any political statements,” he told the outlet.
Meanwhile, Walls said he is unlikely to perform the gesture on the field again.
“I don’t think I’ll do it any more than that. I don’t think I’ll do it again,” he said.
