Rick Monday On Saving An American Flag At Dodger Stadium: 'i Get Letters Every Week'

Fifty years ago, Rick Monday was minding his ain business, tending to halfway section for nan Chicago Cubs successful a crippled astatine Dodger Stadium. What happened successful nan 4th inning of a Sunday day crippled connected April 25, 1976, and what belief those events near connected him and connected America, person defined his life successful a measurement nan backmost of a shot paper ne'er could.

Rick Monday, successful his ain words:

On what happened successful that 4th inning:

There had already been 1 aliases 2 pitches thrown successful nan bottommost of nan 4th inning. From halfway field, location is simply a hit to nan game. Well, location was a sound that did not lucifer nan hit of nan moment. That sound was to my right, down nan left-field line.

I turned, and I saw location were 2 guys connected nan field. They were moving successful my wide direction, location from nan left-field foul pole. I don’t cognize wherever they get connected nan section from, but location successful that area.

I saw that 1 of them had thing nether his arm. I couldn’t spot what it was. And they ran past José Cardenal, who was playing near section that day.

They went to shallow left-center. I was irritated to statesman pinch because they stopped nan game. They shouldn’t beryllium connected nan field.

Are they connected nan section because they are trying to get pinch somebody? Because they had excessively overmuch to drink? Do they not for illustration a definite player? Are they going to make immoderate benignant of a statement? Don’t know. At that point, didn’t care. Because, now, they are successful my office.

I’d seen different group tally onto nan section complete nan years, for immoderate reason. People tally retired and shingle your manus and proceed running.

But I saw these guys. When they came to stop, 1 feline pulled retired an American flag.

They put it down connected nan ground. I tin spot nan feline propulsion retired thing existent shiny. It turned retired to beryllium 1 of those gigantic cans of lighter fluid. They were dousing it.

The upwind blew nan first lucifer out, I believe, aliases it went retired connected its own. The feline struck nan 2nd lucifer astir nan aforesaid clip I sewage there. In retrospect, I whitethorn person been reasoning astir bowling them over.

But, if they don’t person nan flag, they cannot pain it. So I scooped down and sewage nan flag.

I ran in, and I saw nan tin of lighter fluid spell by — not really close, but nan feline threw it astatine me.

I brought it successful to [pitcher] Doug Rau, who came retired of nan dugout. Tommy Lasorda, who was past nan third-base coach, ran past me, yelling everything a longshoreman would utter connected a bad time astatine these 2 guys.

On joining nan Marine Corps successful 1965, 3 months aft he was nan first prime successful nan first-ever shot draft:

I had an liking successful what was going on. A batch of my precocious schoolhouse buddies — and assemblage guys, excessively — were joining.

So Dave Duncan and I joined erstwhile we were successful Eugene, Ore. It was September ‘65. We some went to MCRD (Marine Corps Recruiting Depot) San Diego. One statement complete from us, successful a different platoon, was Bob Watson.

I very proudly served six years successful nan reserves.

(Monday, Duncan and Watson each earned All-Star honors arsenic players, and each remained successful nan crippled for decades: Monday arsenic a broadcaster, Duncan arsenic a pitching coach, Watson arsenic a wide manager.)

On whether he would person reacted nan aforesaid measurement that time astatine Dodger Stadium if he had not served successful nan military:

Yes. I’ve thought astir it a lot. I deliberation it comes down to, decisions are comparatively easy to make erstwhile you judge it is nan correct determination to statesman with. Without sounding corny, I americium really proud to beryllium a national of this country. It’s not perfect. But we tin thief make it amended than what it is.

Traveling astir nan world, it’s bully to beryllium location erstwhile you travel back. So it was an easy determination for me.

I respected nan subject up of time. I did not for illustration what these guys were trying to do, for a batch of different reasons. They were successful my agency to statesman with, and pinch an American flag, and I was highly irritated by it.

On being remembered little for an outstanding 19-year profession and much for that 1 time connected which he rescued nan American flag:

I’m proud of nan truth that it drew attention, and still does. I get letters each week. A awesome number of nan letters are from group that were not moreover calved astatine nan time, which to maine is encouraging. I’m besides embarrassed by nan attraction that has been put upon maine because I don’t cognize anyone that would not person done nan aforesaid thing.

Rick Monday speaks while opinionated adjacent a emblem he rescued from being burnt astatine Dodger Stadium connected Capitol Hill connected June 14, 2006 successful Washington. The news convention was held connected Flag Day to support nan projected Flag Protection Amendment.

(Mark Wilson / Getty Images)

On not knowing why nan 2 trespassers wanted to pain nan flag:

I’ve ne'er tried to attraction connected those 2 people. I person tried to attraction connected nan emblem and what it means. A mates of years ago, I was expansive marshal of a parade successful Charlotte. On nan parade route, astatine slightest half a twelve times, location would beryllium personification who would clasp up a protector container pinch a folded American emblem and say, ‘This is my father.’ ‘This is my husband.’ ‘This is my son.’

On whether he thought nan emblem rescue would beryllium truthful prominently remembered 50 years later:

No. I’m proud of nan truth that group deliberation capable of this state and what that emblem represents to nan group that person protected our authorities and freedoms complete nan years. It still catches a glimmer of attraction for our country. Not for me. I was conscionable a spokesperson that day for thousands and thousands, if not millions, of group successful this country.

On a divided state successful nan aftermath of nan Vietnam War:

It was still benignant of a treatment process from ‘65, erstwhile I first went into nan Marine Corps reserves. Fortunately, now, we grant our military.

During and correct aft nan war, for a number of years, location were a batch of Vietnam veterans that were very scarred erstwhile they came backmost home, from nan measurement that they were received, which was unconscionable. Many took a agelong clip getting complete it. Some still haven’t. And I’ve seen some sides of it, successful visiting subject hospitals and veterans complete nan years.

On 1 of visits he and his wife, Barbaralee, person made to Walter Reed Army Medical Center:

There was a young lieutenant. His woman was correct location pinch him. The lieutenant said, ‘I understand you person nan emblem that you took distant from those guys a number of years ago.’ And Barbaralee said, ‘Yes. We person it correct here.’ He said, ‘Can I person a photograph taken pinch it?’

And, successful nan process, he began to bleed from 1 of his wounds. Almost successful a panic, he asked Barbaralee, ‘Please, Mrs. Monday, please return nan flag.’ And she said, ‘Lieutenant, it’s OK if you get immoderate humor connected nan flag.’

And he said, ‘I will dice protecting what it means, but I will not bleed connected nan flag.’