KODAK, Tenn. — The Tennessee Smokies minor league baseball team deleted a tweet and apologized after getting backlash for weighing in on the controversy over Nike’s decision to stop selling its Betsy Ross flag shoe.
The official account of the Chicago Cubs' Double-A affiliate shared four photos Wednesday showing the early version of the American flag. It was drawn into the dirt near second base at Smokies Stadium in Kodak, Tennessee.
The tweet read:
"Hey @Kaepernick7 after a lot of thought, we have decided it's best to just do it. #America.”
The Wall Street Journal reports former NFL star Colin Kaepernick was one of those asking for the shoe to be pulled.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Kaepernick reached out to Nike, saying the Betsy Ross flag is offensive because of its connection to the slavery era. Others have voiced similar concerns on social media.
The Washington Post reports the flag has been used by white nationalist groups. Some people consider the flag offensive.
Kaepernick, a social justice advocate who has not played in the NFL since 2016 after kneeling during the national anthem, is currently endorsed by Nike.
Nike was asked if the reason for pulling the shoe had anything to do with Kaepernick, but the company did not address that in its response to TEGNA and other media outlets.
“Nike has chosen not to release the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July as it featured an old version of the American flag,” the company said in a statement.
According to several reports, the Air Max 1 USA was created to celebrate the Fourth of July and was set to go on sale this week. The heel of the shoe shows the original U.S. flag with 13 stars in a circle.
The shoe never was put in Nike stores or online. Retailers were told not to sell it without giving an explanation, according to the Wall Street Journal.
On Nike’s website, the company is still selling city edition Philadelphia 76ers jerseys, which feature the 13 stars on the front.
The 13 stars in a circle were meant to represent the original 13 colonies of the United States. It was approved by the Continental Congress in 1777
The Smokies deleted their original tweet and posted an apology:
Some criticized the team for deleting the tweet.
"That's a non-apology apology," wrote baseball writer Keith Law.
“Never. Apologize.” Outkick the Coverage’s Clay Travis wrote.
Mark Bergin is a journalist with 10News WTSP. Like him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter and Instagram. You can also email him at mbergin@wtsp.com.
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