San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick protesting perceived racial inequality by sitting through the national anthem reminded me instantly of a different athlete using similar tactics.
In July 2004, I had highlighted a sitdown by Carlos Delgado of the Toronto Blue Jays during seventh-inning-stretch renditions of God Bless America at ballparks nationwide to protest the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Both are rare instances of athletes risking legacies and future earnings for causes far deeper than sneaker sales.
Though Kaepernick has caused the bigger firestorm, given how Twitter and Facebook today can instantly publicize issues, both athletes dealt with accusations that they had betrayed the nation, its flag and armed forces.