Dodger Nation Banner With 'Under God' Removed From Madison Bridge

A banner in support of Madison sports teams that was displayed on a train overpass at Waverly Place and Kings Road this week has been taken down.

The banner said "Dodger Domination" and, below that, "One Nation Under God."

Mike Waresk, a Dodgers sports fan who arranged with Madison officials to have the banner displayed, said he received a call from borough hall Tuesday afternoon informing him the sign was taken down and he could pick it up at the Department of Public Works.

Waresk, a borough resident, said he was told there had been a complaint about the phrase "One Nation Under God," but he did not know more about the nature of the complaint.

A post about the banner's removal on a Dodger Nation Facebook page prompted an outcry and dozens of comments from people who were upset the sign was taken down.

Waresk hadn't picked up the sign as of Wednesday morning and plans to meet with borough officials. He hopes the sign will be put back up. Messages left with borough officials Wednesday morning weren't immediately returned.

"It's pathetic that they need to respond so quickly based on feedback from one or two people," Waresk said. "So here we are. I think the community would like to see the sign back up."

"Dodger Nation" is a name that was adopted by a group of fans of Madison High School sports. Not all fans necessarily align themselves with the group. The group is not associated with the school district, and it's not a nonprofit. It doesn't have a board of directors. They have a Facebook page with more than 750 "likes." On the page, fans share news about Madison teams and athletes, and sell Dodger Nation gear fans can display.

The banner in question was designed by a company that creates other Dodger Nation gear, including lawns sign with the same design as the banner.

"It's the existing fan base trying to band together in a spirited way that supports the teams," Waresk said of the group.

The group formed when some Madison Dodgers fans gathered before a football game against Chatham High School a few years ago. They decided to come up with a name for themselves and said, "Let's just call it Dodger Nation," Waresk said.

Waresk said borough officials approved displaying the banner and he was told to drop it off at Madison's Department of Public Works, which he did Sept. 2. The banner was displayed and Waresk wasn't aware there was an issue until he was called Tuesday.

While the banner's removal riled some members of the community, Waresk is sure it won't be a distraction for the teams. Madison's football team, which has won three consecutive state championships, plays its first game at Dover High School 7 p.m. Thursday.

"Our coaches are 110 percent focused in on Dover," he said. "They don't get involved in any of this stuff, and do a great job in preparing the team."