January 12, 2007

Rick Monday of Batesville (Independence County) was twenty years old when he broke into the major leagues as a rookie in 1966. One of the most noteworthy events of his successful career was an incident that took place while he was playing center field for the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium on April 25, 1976. During the middle of the game, two protesters jumped onto the field and attempted to burn an American flag. Monday quickly ran toward the two and grabbed the flag. The crowd began to cheer and sing “God Bless America.” Some years later, the National Baseball Hall of Fame designated Monday’s actions as one of the 100 Classic Moments in the History of the Game.