Chicago Cubs pitcher, Charlotte native told to change glove because of American flag patch
Luke Little, an East Meck grad, was told to change his glove before a seventh-inning appearance on Wednesday.
CHICAGO (WBTV/AP) - A pitcher for the Chicago Cubs had to change his glove prior to a seventh-inning appearance because it had an American flag patch on it, according to the Associated Press.
Luke Little, a Charlotte native and graduate of East Mecklenburg High School, is in his second year with the Cubs, and has reportedly been using the same glove since his days in the lower minor league levels.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell opted to put Little into the game with one out in the seventh inning during Wednesday night’s game against the Houston Astros.
As Little made his way onto the field, he stopped by an umpire for a brief inspection, which is common for pitchers to ensure they are not using any foreign substances, such as pine tar. The AP said that during that check, he was told he had to change gloves.
“The issue was the American flag was on his glove,” Counsell said via the AP. “Pitchers’ gloves, they’re pretty strict about not having white on the pitchers’ gloves. Apparently the flag had what could be a distraction to the hitter.”
The AP said that after the umpire’s order, he had to use a glove that had not been broken in, posing an extra challenge.
Once in the game, Little did his job, sitting down both hitters he faced, including one via strikeout.
Following Chicago’s 4-3 win, he took to social media, posting a GIF of Hulk Hogan playing an American flag guitar in front of a flag background. He captioned it “Proud to be an American.”
Little made his Major League debut in September 2023 against the San Francisco Giants before making the Cubs’ Opening Day roster for the first time this season. In 16 career appearances, he boasts an impressive 1.20 ERA with 19 strikeouts across 15 innings.
After graduating from East Meck, he went on to play collegiately at San Jacinto College in Texas.
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