Jack Morris, a sports commentator for the Detroit Tigers, has been suspended indefinitely after he made offensive comments about Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani during Tuesday night’s game between the Tigers and Los Angeles Angels.
During the sixth inning of the Major League Baseball match-up, Morris was asked by his fellow sportscaster Matt Shepard what the Tigers should do when Ohtani was up to bat while the game was tied.
Morris replied, “Be very, very careful,” putting on an Asian accent. Later in the game, he apologized for his comments, saying he “did not intend for any offensive thing and I apologize if I did. I certainly respect and have the utmost respect for this guy and don’t blame a pitcher for walking him.”
On Wednesday, Bally Sports Detroit, a regional sports network, said it was “extremely disappointed” with Morris’ comments and said he would be undergoing racial bias training.
“Bally Sports Detroit is extremely disappointed with the remarks analyst Jack Morris made during last night’s Tigers game. Jack has been suspended indefinitely from Tigers broadcasts and will be undergoing bias training to educate him on the impact of his comments and how he can be a positive influence in a diverse community. We have a zero-tolerance policy for bias or discrimination and deeply apologize for his insensitive remark,” the group said in a statement.
Morris is a former MLB star who played for the Tigers for the majority of his career from 1977-1990. He won a championship with the team in 1984 and had his jersey retired.
“The Detroit Tigers take immense pride in honoring the diverse cultures that make up our players, coaching staff, front office, fan base and community. We are deeply disappointed by the comments made by Jack Morris during the broadcast last night,” the team said in a statement. “We fully support Bally Sports Detroit’s decision and their on-going commitment to ensure that all personnel are held to the highest standards of personal conduct.”
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