Detroit Tigers broadcaster Jack Morris has been suspended indefinitely for racist comments helium made astir Los Angeles Angels prima Shohei Ohtani during Tuesday's game.
When asked by play-by-play announcer Matt Shepard however the Tigers should transportation to Ohtani successful the sixth inning, Morris adopted an exaggerated East Asian accent portion saying "be very, precise careful." When Ohtani came backmost up successful the ninth, Morris issued a lengthy apology.
"It's been brought to my attraction and I sincerely apologise if I offended anybody, particularly successful the Asian community, for what I said astir pitching and being cautious to Shohei Ohtani," Morris began, earlier going connected to speech astir his respect for Ohtani's talent.
Bally Sports Detroit announced the suspension Thursday AEST.
"Bally Sports Detroit is highly disappointed with the remarks expert Jack Morris made during past night's Tigers game," the web said successful a statement.
"Jack has been suspended indefinitely from Tigers broadcasts and volition beryllium undergoing bias grooming to amended him connected the interaction of his comments and however helium tin beryllium a affirmative power successful a divers community.
"We person a zero-tolerance argumentation for bias oregon favoritism and profoundly apologize for his insensitive remark."
The Tigers, who retired Morris' fig aft helium was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, issued a akin statement.
"The Detroit Tigers instrumentality immense pridefulness successful honoring the divers cultures that marque up our players, coaching staff, beforehand office, instrumentality basal and community," the squad said. "We are profoundly disappointed by the comments made by Jack Morris during the broadcast past night. We afloat enactment Bally Sports Detroit's determination and their ongoing committedness to guarantee that each unit are held to the highest standards of idiosyncratic conduct."
The incidental comes 31 years aft Morris, during his playing days, told a young pistillate newsman that helium "only talks to women erstwhile I'm bare if they are connected apical of maine oregon I'm connected apical of them."
Morris, who was not bare astatine the time, was defended by then-team president Bo Schembechler, who blamed the Detroit Free Press for sending a pistillate newsman into the clubhouse.
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