Oakland Athletics Bruce Maxwell Arrested on Gun Charges

Oakland Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell made news this season as the first MLB player to protest during the National Anthem. He is back in the news once more, this time due to his arrest on gun charges.

Bruce Maxwell made a name for himself last season with the Oakland Athletics, although not for his play on the diamond. He became a topic of controversy when, back on September 23, he became the first MLB player to kneel during the National Anthem, protesting racial injustice and joining his fellow players in the NFL.

Maxwell is once again in the news, and once again, it is for reasons other than his play. He was arrested Saturday night and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and disorderly conduct at his residence in Scottsdale, Arizona. Maxwell allegedly pointed a gun at a female food delivery person, although the details of what led up to the incident are currently unknown.

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This is not the first time that Maxwell has run into trouble when it comes to getting a meal. Earlier in the week, he claimed that he was not given service at an Alabama restaurant due to his protest. The waiter had allegedly pointed to his protests as the reason why he would not be served. While it is unclear as to whether or not a similar situation occurred on Saturday, Maxwell has not had much luck when getting dinner as of late.

If these charges are substantiated, Maxwell is likely to face discipline for the 2018 season. Last year, he established himself as the Athletics primary catcher, producing a solid .237/.329/.333 batting line with 12 doubles and three homers. He displayed a solid arm behind the plate, throwing out 28% of would be basestealers last season and did not make an error in his 485 total chances.

Next: Matt Olson's bizarre 2017 campaign

Bruce Maxwell became a target for controversy when he became the first player to protest during the National Anthem. That controversy has followed the Oakland Athletics catcher into the offseason, as he has been arrested on gun charges.