{"id":392,"date":"2026-07-17T12:13:32","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T16:13:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thetiesthatbind\/?p=392"},"modified":"2026-07-17T12:13:32","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T16:13:32","slug":"college-baseball-team-sparks-backlash-with-staged-same-sex-kiss-in-front-of-children","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/thetiesthatbind\/2026\/07\/college-baseball-team-sparks-backlash-with-staged-same-sex-kiss-in-front-of-children.html","title":{"rendered":"College Baseball Team Sparks Backlash With Staged Same-Sex Kiss in Front of Children"},"content":{"rendered":"
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@picklesbaseball \/ X<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A college baseball team is taking heat after it staged a very public same-sex kiss between a pitcher and a hitter. The Portland Pickles, a collegiate summer baseball organization that styles itself after the popular Savannah Bananas organization with wild stunts, hosted a \u201cHeated Rivalry\u201d game night. \u201cHeated Rivalry\u201d is a nod to the HBO Show that focuses on two professional hockey players who hide their gay relationship while also playing against one another professionally. During the Portland Pickles game<\/a>, a pitcher ends up hitting a batter, who then charges the field. However, rather than attacking the pitcher, the two embrace and share a passionate French kiss for several moments.<\/p>\n

Sports media outlet, Outkick<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>noted that several children were in attendance during the game and that at least one little girl can be seen covering her eyes as the men kiss. The team celebrated the moment on its social media, writing<\/a>, \u201cOur cottage was packed. Tongues were used. Things got heated. All the Things She Said played approximately 81 times. Oh, and there was baseball.\u201d The team followed up the \u201cHeated Rivalry\u201d game with a mid-July Pride night on July 16. The team framed the game as a \u201ccelebration of LGBTQ+ people, joy, and chosen family, because the world is weird enough without anyone feeling unwelcome. Love is love, baseball is baseball, and this park is for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Social media reacted to the stunt with many voicing disgust. \u201cCOMPLETE DEBAUCHERY,\u201d wrote podcast host Kristin Sokoloff<\/a>. \u201c\u2018Family Friendly\u2019 Portland Pickles Baseball Game. Kids Witnessed This Garbage. A \u2018skit\u2019 featuring two grown men making out on the field. This is what passes for \u2018family entertainment\u2019 in Portland now. Disgusting. Keep your agenda off the field and away from our children.\u201d Another account<\/a> called the moment \u201cdisgusting.\u201d \u201cOnly Portland,\u201d the account added. \u201cThis is how far evil is willing to go, folks. We are in the final days. Come Jesus, come. Shame on every parent in attendance.\u201d The gay outlet Out<\/em><\/a> celebrated the game, stating audiences were \u201ctreated\u201d to the \u201csteamy\u201d scene and lauding the success of the show which inspired the theme. Outkick<\/em>, however, has disputed the show\u2019s success, stating HBO has refused to release its viewership numbers while season 2 has yet to be released.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A college baseball team is taking heat after it staged a very public same-sex kiss between a pitcher and a hitter. The Portland Pickles, a collegiate summer baseball organization that styles itself after the popular Savannah Bananas organization with wild stunts, hosted a \u201cHeated Rivalry\u201d game night. \u201cHeated Rivalry\u201d is a nod to the HBO…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":516,"featured_media":395,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-392","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\nCollege Baseball Team Sparks Backlash With Staged Same-Sex Kiss in Front of Children<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Portland Pickles face backlash after staging a same-sex kiss between players during a themed baseball game attended by children.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, 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