Cubs minor league team apologizes after mocking Kaepernick on Twitter

By Avery Yang The Associated Press

5 years ago

This undated product image obtained by the Associated Press shows Nike Air Max 1 Quick Strike F ... — This undated product image obtained by the Associated Press shows Nike Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July shoes that have a U.S. flag with 13 white stars in a circle on it, known as the Betsy Ross flag, on them. Nike is pulling the flag-themed tennis shoe after former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick complained to the shoemaker, according to the Wall Street Journal. (Nike via AP Photo)

A Chicago Cubs minor league affiliate has apologized and deleted a tweet mocking former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

A day after Nike recalled a sneaker that featured an early American flag at Kaepernick’s urging, the Double-A Tennessee Smokies drew the 13-star symbol on their infield Wednesday and tweeted images of it.

“Hey Kaepernick7 after a lot of thought, we have decided it’s best to just do it. #America,” the tweet said.

The Associated Press reported Tuesday that Kaepernick aired concerns to Nike over the release of the Air Max 1 USAs and its use of the Betsy Ross flag, which he said recalls an era when African-Americans were enslaved and has been appropriated by white nationalist groups. Nike recalled the shoe before it was due to go on sale for the July Fourth holiday.

Connor Pearce, marketing and community relations manager for the Smokies, told the AP on Wednesday night that “it was just a light-hearted take on a current situation.”

The team then deleted the tweet, saying “we did not mean to offend anyone by it. If it did, we certainly apologize.”