After Houston Astro’s first basemen Yuli Gurriel escaped a World Series suspension for a racist gesture toward the Los Angeles Dodger’s Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish, the fans at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas welcomed Gurriel to the plate with a standing ovation.
Just a few days later, when the series returned to Los Angeles, Gurriel was showered with boos from every corner of Dodger Stadium.
The vehement disapproval of Gurriel’s actions was to be expected in Los Angeles, but the warm reception in Houston raised eyebrows. It’s hard to imagine Astro fans were making a direct celebration of the first-baseman’s racist gesture, but a standing ovation doesn’t exactly scream disapproval — in fact, it can feel a lot like the opposite.