Josh Hader, a pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers, caused an uproar when tweets from 2011 and 2012 that included racist and homophobic remarks were found on his Twitter. These tweets were sent out less than four months before he was picked in the 19th round to pitch for the Baltimore Orioles.
Professional athletes need to be smart when using social media because so many people look up to them. When a professional athlete says something offensive on social media, they are not only hurting themselves, but the program they are in. They are a direct representation of the program.
Hader tried to make the case that the tweets from when he was 17 do not reflect the person he is now as a 24-year-old. After the backlash, the MLB discussed the idea of checking draft picks’ social media accounts. This could stop the negative attention that these players receive due to inappropriate content on social media.
This might also stop athletes who want to play professional sports from making these horrible comments if they know their social media accounts are being monitored.
At the end of the day, these professional athletes are constantly in the public’s eye. Not only does society look up to these individuals and hold them in high esteem, but young children look up to them and idolize them as well. If a child sees these tweets and thinks that this horrific language is acceptable, then this can cause problems for the child down the line, if not right in the moment. Children learn by mimicking the examples around them, and too often, professional athletes forget this.
If Josh Hader’s tweets were found before he was drafted, would he have still been drafted? That is difficult to say. However, I don’t believe he should have been drafted. Playing a professional sport should not only be based on talent and ability to play at that level, but also maturity and character. Being racist and homophobic is unacceptable. It can hurt relationships with future teammates. It also makes Josh Hader look like he is “above the law” and that professional athletes can get away with anything. Perceptions that professional athletes don’t have to follow the same rules as everyone else is a bad message to send to our youth.
Moving forward, the MLB and every other professional organization needs to be aware of what their draft picks have put on social media before picking the players. No professional athlete should say words to put people down. Professional athletes are looked up to and need to be a strong example of how someone should act, demonstrating solid moral character.
By Emma Borysevicz, Contributing Writer
boryseem16@bonaventure.edu
