A 31-year-old woman from Commerce Township alleged she was removed from a Detroit Tigers game at Comerica Park due to her clothing’s religious message, which she said offended other fans. According to a report from The Detroit News, the incident occurred Friday evening during the Tigers’ matchup against the Chicago White Sox.
Paige Combs-Morgan said she was invited by relatives to sit behind home plate. She chose to wear a light gray hoodie featuring a cross beside the rainbow-colored word “Jesus,” followed by a red heart and the word “Pride.” She viewed the garment as a direct response to a recent controversy involving San Francisco Giants players who wrote Bible verses on their caps during the team’s Pride Night celebration.
Combs-Morgan described the Giants and Major League Baseball’s handling of that situation as religious bigotry against Christians. She wanted to make a counter-statement at the Tigers game.
“We hear a lot of messages about LGBTQ pride, and I think it’s important to get another message out: Put Jesus before pride,” she told The Detroit News. “And they told me that was offensive. I can’t imagine why anyone would think ‘Jesus over pride’ is offensive. I don’t hate gay people; Jesus said to love everyone. But I do think Jesus should come before everything, including pride. Somehow, that’s offensive.”
The woman said she watched the game without issue for several innings. Staff initially checked tickets after she and her relatives shifted a few seats over. Shortly afterward, managers approached and instructed her to follow them, stating that her shirt was offending people. Combs-Morgan became more animated in response.
Video footage shows her standing, extending her arms, and posing for the center-field camera during the sixth inning to display the hoodie’s message while walking across the front row.
She later left her seat to get a drink. At that point, a group of park employees and Detroit police officers confronted her. Video captured an employee telling her to stop recording their conversation.
“Put the phone down,” he said. “If you’re going to do this, we’re going to eject you.” When she asked for clarification, the employee responded, “You’re out of here.” As she was escorted out, Combs-Morgan stated on video that she was being removed because of her shirt. A female employee replied that they had received complaints.
Tigers officials offered a different account, insisting the removal had nothing to do with her attire. “We received several complaints from fans seated behind home plate during Friday’s game, who reported another fan’s behavior as being disruptive to their ballpark experience,” the team said in a statement.
“The behavior included frequent walks and poses across the front row of seats in camera-visible areas, obstructing others from being able to watch the game.”
Officials said staff issued multiple warnings about violating the fan code of conduct, which emphasizes refraining from actions that disrupt other guests’ enjoyment of the game. Only after the behavior continued was she escorted from the ballpark.
The incident unfolded against the backdrop of broader debates over religious expression in MLB. It followed warnings issued to Giants players Landen Roupp, JT Brubaker, and Ryan Walker, a subsequent U.S. Senate inquiry, and a Department of Justice investigation into potential civil rights issues. MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred later acknowledged a communication lapse by the Giants.
Combs-Morgan said she does not plan to pursue legal action or turn the matter into a larger civil rights dispute. “I’m not going to file a lawsuit, and I’m not making this a big civil rights thing,” she stated. “Jesus wouldn’t seek money, and I’m not seeking money either. But I do plan on wearing that shirt again. Maybe not to that venue, but I’ll keep wearing it, because I have a right to get this message out, too.”
End Time Headlines is a ministry founded, owned, and operated by Ricky Scaparo, established in 2010 to equip believers and inform discerning individuals about the “Signs and Seasons” of the times in which we live. Ricky authors original articles and curates news from mainstream sources, carefully selecting topics, verifying information, and utilizing artificial intelligence tools to ensure content is both timely and accurate. Every piece is personally reviewed and edited by Ricky to align with the ministry’s mission of providing a prophetic perspective on current events.
