Left field

When politics enters sports

For many people, watching a ball game represents a chance to escape the problems of everyday life.

Money problems melt away, at least for a few seconds, when watching LeBron James take off from the foul line and rip down a rim-rattling, backboard-swaying slam dunk. Watching Albert Pujols slug a three-run homer into the upper deck with two runners on in the bottom of the ninth can make one forget, albeit briefly, painful family issues.

That’s why the Phoenix Suns wearing “Los Suns” on their jersey for Wednesday’s playoff game against San Antonio crosses the line. The uniform change is not meant merely to support the Latino community but to slam a new controversial Arizona immigration law.

The law requires state and local police to determine people’s immigration status if there is “reasonable suspicion” they are in the United States illegally.