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1 year ago: Sports world came to a halt to protest shooting of Jacob Blake

Magic Bucks Basketball
Posted at 1:56 PM, Aug 27, 2021
and last updated 2021-08-27 14:56:51-04

On August 26, 2020, the sports world came to a halt as athletes protested the shooting of a Black man by cops in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

The unprecedented move began when the Milwaukee Bucks boycotted Game 5 of their NBA playoff game against the Orlando Magic to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake.

Three games were postponed on Wednesday, but they resumed the following day.

There were reports that the Lakers and Clippers had voted to end the playoffs, but by Thursday, Aug. 27, players reportedly agreed to continue playing.

The league announced on Twitter that Thursday and Friday's games were postponed. By Saturday, games resumed.

Several teams and players followed suit throughout the sports world: MLS and WNBA postponed games, while some MLB teams and players postponed or sat out.

Severalteams, including the Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts, canceled practice Thursday to protest Blake's shooting in the NFL.

Five Major League Soccer teams also stood in solidarity with the NBA, postponing matches on Wednesday.

In Major League Baseball, several teams, including the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds, chose not to play on Wednesday.

Colorado Rockies outfielder Matt Kemp sat out in protest on Wednesday.

The Boston Red Sox, Oakland Athletics, Minnesota Twins, and Philadelphia Phillies decided not to play on Thursday.

The National Hockey League postponed Thursday and Friday's playoff games after receiving backlash on Wednesday. It decided to allow several games to happen and hold a moment of reflection instead of postponing games like other clubs had done.

The WNBA also postponed three games on Wednesday.

Several college football teams, including Oklahoma and Ole Miss, canceled practice that Friday amid protest of Blake's shooting.

The protests also occurred on the anniversary of former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sitting during the national anthem, demonstrating social injustice and police brutality.