Baseball fans were left baffled by the red-clad Revolutionary War reenactors dotting the Citizens Bank Park field before Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia.
‘Those are RED COATS!! We fought AGAINST them!’ one commenter identified as ‘Proud American Veteran’ fumed on X.
Other furious complaints followed, echoing similar confusion over a military band dressed in ‘Loyalist’ red rather than the blue typically associated with the Patriots. One fan slammed the perceived inaccuracy as a ‘major fail,’ while a former staffer of ex-New York City mayor Eric Adams joked that Major League Baseball ‘must have skipped their American History classes.’
But for all of the histrionics on social media, MLB actually got it right by dressing their Fire and Drum Crops reenactors in red coats with blue lapels.
As explained on the US Army’s website, the corps did dress in red, as ordered by General George Washington. What’s more, according to the Lewis & Clark Fife and Drum Corps web page, the practice began to protect musicians from taking fire.
‘They wore red so the enemy knew they were not armed soldiers and shouldn’t be fired upon,’ read an X post from James Cook, a Philly sports fan who happens to know his stuff about the Revolutionary War.
Baseball fans were left baffled by the red-clad Revolutionary War reenactors dotting the Citizens Bank Park field before Tuesday’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia
For all of the histrionics on social media, Major League Baseball actually got it right by dressing their fife-and-drum-corps reenactors in red coats with blue lapels
Blue Jays manager John Schneider signs a ‘declaration’ ahead of the All-Star Game
Unfortunately, the facts didn’t matter to angry viewers who took the red coats as a sign of MLB’s inattention to detail.
‘The idiots of today know nothing about our history!’ read a post from someone identified as an ‘America First Patriot.’
‘Does whoever put together this pre game stuff for the allstar game know the red coats were the baddies?’ another critic asked on X.
One X user identified as ‘RightWinger’ wrote: ‘Leave it to MLB to use guys in colonial era red coats for America The Beautiful at the #2026MLBAllstarGame The good guys wore blue coats guys.’
Tuesday’s patriotic theme was fairly straightforward: MLB was taking its turn at commemorating America’s 250th birthday by hosting the mid-summer classic in the country’s birthplace with some appropriate pre-game theatrics.
Skydivers fastened to ‘America: 250’ flags parachuted into the stadium, where a red-white-and-blue fireworks display would blast off moments later.
And upon emerging from the dugout during pregame introductions, All-Star players grabbed a quill to performatively sign a faux ‘declaration’ at home plate before taking their place for Patti LaBelle’s performance of the national anthem.
Jennifer Hudson performs ‘America the Beautiful’ ahead of the MLB baseball All-Star Game
In this photo from 2007, then-President George W. Bush welcomes the US Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps to the White House. And as was the case in 1776, the Corps wore red coats
Blue Jays coach Carlos Febles is seen with a ‘USA: 250’ patch on his sleeve. Some American fans took pleasure in the patch on Toronto jerseys, joking that it made Canada the 51st state
There was also a ‘USA: 250′ patch sewn on players’ uniforms, including those representing the Toronto Blue Jays.
’51st state confirmed,’ one fan joked on X, referring to President Donald Trump’s goal of annexing Canada.
Later, Ray Charles’ famed rendition of ‘America the Beautiful’ was played before the top of the fifth inning amid the second fireworks display of the evening. And in the end, that may have been MLB’s best touch.
‘OK @MLB props for this game and Ray Charles moment,’ read one post. ‘Absolutely breathtaking stuff.’
‘Declaration of Independence lineup card,’ another fan added. ‘Sandlot reference. Ray Charles. Philly might have to do this every year.’
