Is Bryce Harper Hated Because He is a Mormon?
September 3rd, 2013 | 
Author: Ok, that is not really the question at hand. A panel at Post Sports Live from The Washington Post took at look at whether Bryce Harper with the Washington Nationals was getting hit by pitches because he is hated. Take a look at the video here.
Bryce Harper
(source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:9TH_Bryce_Harper.jpg)
At the Henrichsen home, we really like Bryce Harper. He is one Shem’s heroes. The fact that Harper is from Las Vegas is the first thing Shem (11) mentioned when Lyndee got the offer to come and teach here in Las Vegas.
Are players like Harper being targeted by pitchers? Maybe this is just part of the game of baseball.
Bryce Harper is young superstar. I can easily see how he might be viewed as cocky. Heck, he deserves to be cocky!
Oh, and asking if Bryce is hated because he is a Mormon is clearly a clown question. I know. I know.
Author’s Note: I originally posted this at my blog Approaching Justice. For other sports posts (mostly baseball) follow this link.
Posted in 
Tags:
Yeah, Harper is quite possibly the best Mormon Baseball player in recent history (there was a pitcher in the 70’s that was really good for a few years–) but have you actually watched him play up close? He has an intensity that I haven’t seen in a ballplayer since Pete Rose (I was a kid, but I still remember watching Pete play). Seriously, its the fact that he’s good, young,he’s intense, and not the religion at play. That’s my thoughts anyway.
Oh, and there was Dale Murphy. But…I purposely didn’t mention Dale Murphy. Maybe Dale will be a hall of famer someday, I’m not holding my breath.
Joy, Dale’s last year of eligibility (of 15 years of eligibility) for the Hall of Fame has past. Short of the veteran’s committee adding him for post-career reasons (I don’t think he’s made much of a case for that), I don’t see how he will make the Hall.
Now Jack Murphy, who has 1 more year of eligibility, might. But the competition this coming January will be very stiff, so don’t hold your breath.
Jeff Kent may be the next Mormon player who could make the Hall.
Paul Dunn was an excellent baseball player if I remember correctly.
Of course he’s not hated because he’s Mormon. He’s hated because he’s cocky (and no, being talented is not a good excuse for being cocky). He’s also hated because he’s not a Brave. 😛
Personally, I’m not sure there is enough evidence to suggest that he is actually hated.
He does come across as cocky, as “snake” suggests, but I wonder if that is all that unusual, especially for young players who arrive in the majors unusually early and who are talented.
Ken Griffey, Jr. sure came across as cocky, IMO. Arod? Cocky. There’s no question. Perhaps they are all hated for that.
Or, perhaps most players and fans see them act cocky and roll their eyes and ignore them.
That’s my suggestion, and, I think, the best way to deal with cocky. Hating them doesn’t really help–it just allows them to think that they are victims.