Red Sox accept invitation to White House

[December 04, 2018]  The World Series champion Boston Red Sox will go to the White House -- even if not everyone on the team sees eye to eye with the president.

Red Sox president Sam Kennedy announced Monday night that the team had accepted an invitation to the nation's capital to celebrate its World Series win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. A date for the visit has not yet been scheduled.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora said he would make the trip. Cora is the first Puerto Rican manager to win the World Series, and he defended his homeland after President Donald Trump questioned the death toll from Hurricane Maria in 2017, claiming that dozens of people died instead of thousands.

At the time, Cora said Trump's comments were "disrespectful" about the island and its people.

"It's a little bit, kind of like, frustrating that the topic keeps coming and coming and coming," Cora said. "What's the point, honestly? And I respect him. He's the president of the United States. But I don't agree with a lot of stuff that he says about us."

Cora said earlier this offseason that he would "use the platform the right way" if the Red Sox visited the White House.

Teams have visited the White House for nearly four decades after winning championships, but that custom has changed since Trump took office.

A sign congratulating the Boston Red Sox hangs outside a building during the 2018 World Series Championship parade in Boston. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Several players on the Golden State Warriors said they would not go to the White House after winning the NBA title in 2017, so Trump rescinded the invitation for the entire team. The White House also canceled a planned visit for the Philadelphia Eagles in June, and Trump said neither the Warriors nor the Cleveland Cavaliers would be invited following the 2018 NBA Finals.

The Houston Astros visited the White House a year ago, and the Washington Capitals made the short trip earlier this year after winning the Stanley Cup.

--Field Level Media

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