"Operation Iraqi Baseball": Rachel Maddow Spearheads Support For National Team (VIDEO)

When Rachel Maddow reported a McClatchy story on Monday night about the Iraqi national baseball team, she didn't expect her brief mention of the team's dire financial straits "to be a huge deal."

However, in the days since the initial report, offers of financial assistance and shipments of much-needed uniforms and equipment came pouring in.

On Wednesday's show, Maddow called the response "overwhelming and honestly heartwarming." Her show, in conjunction with donors and the assistant coach of the team, is currently at work shipping the equipment to the team by Friday.

While the outpouring of support more than provided for the gear the team needed, Maddow urged viewers not to let "the generous impulse [they] had towards these Iraqi baseball players go to waste." To that end, a link has been posted on the show's website to Operation Give, an organization which provides humanitarian aid to combat zones.

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Comments

[WillCooney]

Score one for Rachel Maddow and her viewers. This is just the type of charity that truly works to unite our countries.

[Jeff Cunningham]

I could care less whether it was baseball supplies or soccer cleats or nonparishable food items; I'm just glad people are going out of their way to try to help those in another country who are obviously in need of some assistance. And like someone else on here has already said, I think it means more that it's coming from regular, everyday people instead of some charitable foundation or some political establishment. Kudos to Rachel Maddow for bringing this story to light in the first place and keeping it going , but even larger kudos to everyone who answered her call.

[CreekCM]

Things like this is what makes me admire Rachel, as a person and as a journalist. She just calls it how she sees it. I can never picture O'Reilly or his ilk giving air time to these types of causes. l don't think it's embarrassing at all; these things show how great the American public can be when it comes to helping others, and I am very proud of the fact that I get to take part in something like this.

[Elabacki]

Not sticking up for him, but he does give alot to Wounded Warriors charity/foundation

[desertdweller]

Despite Billo's largess, he is still in denial about homeless vets - America's greatest shame.

[CreekCM]

I'm sure that Bill does some good -- I mean, I just dearly hope that he's not as evil as he seems. *gulps*

When I said "these types of causes" I meant the aid provided to those who are not Americans. I think that there is this mentality that "we must help the homeless and destitute in America first before we can extend aid to other countries." I kind of understand why people would feel this way, but I've always thought that we are all humans, and whether we help those in our country or those outside of our country, the important thing is that we help.

So, let me clarify by saying that I cannot picture Bill and his ilk ever extending any of their air time to help those from other countries.

[thinlizzie]

To GeorgeP922:

I think you over thinking this...I think the Iraqi and US governments are happy to have private citizens involved in making cultural things happen that will improve the life of the citizens in Iraq. It allows them to do the very difficult job of trying to make Iraq secure in all senses (politically, economically etc) so that there can be a whole league of teams playing in Iraq. Which leads me to wonder, who are these guys playing?

[jazabelz]

One of the teams is in Pakistan.

[abliss2379]

I hope MLB threw in a little something, too.

[The Albany Kid]

On a side note, I have been wondering for years why U.S. servicemembers aren't promoting baseball in the Middle East as they did in Latin America (which, as most people know, is why so much great baseball talent has come from Latin America).

Perhaps promoting baseball in the Middle East would seem too imperialistic.

[PKatherine]

most latin american countries don't play baseball but rather play soccer.
but either way baseball is just a sport, I don't see anything imperialistic with it.

Sports are great!

[desertdweller]

Baseball is huge in Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela, and Colombia.

[grailknight]

Sure, they play a lot of foosball, but look at any MLB roster and you'll find plenty of Latinos, and Latinos have been playing MLB for decades and are heroes in their homelands.

[josephbua]

I think we learned our lesson well. Not pushing one's own culture and all that.

Don't our media companies do enough of that?

[lessthansign3]

I think it's AWESOME that people are stepping up to help! I am not a baseball fan by any means, but it's wonderful to see people stepping up to help these guys out so they can play the game they love. Way awesome

[PKatherine]

me too even though I'm not a big fan of baseball per se

[GeorgeP922]

I was watching this the last two nights and now that it has come to fruition,

I wonder how the government types of Iraq feel? This must be quite embarrassing to them.

And what about America and our state department? This team was started by Iraqi Americans who had come home, are you telling me our government, at the least the CIA couldn't muster up a couple g's for Iraqi's wanting to play America's national sport?

Of course neocons would hate that, they want more war, but responsible military planners should have take the jump on this.

[Strywever]

I think American citizens reaching out to Iraqi citizens is lovely, and perhaps will be seen very differently than yet another government program. If nothing else, it's a much better story that maybe is more likely to be shared around the world, amplifying its impact.

[TexasDem0]

I think it sends a message to the Iraqi people that it was not the American people who brought so much misery to their country, but the actions of a rogue and criminal administration which has yet to face justice.