Athletics broadcaster suspended for using racial slur.
Oakland Athletics broadcaster Glen Kuiper has been suspended after uttering a racial slur while describing a trip to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.NBC Sports California said in a statement Saturday that Kuiper will remain off the air until a review of what happened during Friday night's broadcast is completed.
In a pregame segment on NBC Sports California before the A's played the Kansas City Royals on Friday night, Kuiper talked about a trip to the museum with colleague Dallas Braden but seemingly mispronounced the word "negro," making it sound instead like a slur.
Later in the game, Kuiper apologized on the air without getting into specifics, saying he said something that "didn't come out quite the way I wanted it to."
"I could not be more sorry and horrified by what I said," Kuiper said Saturday in a statement released by NBC Sports California. "I hope you will accept my sincerest apologies."
Bob Kendrick, the president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, issued a statement about Kuiper on Twitter on Saturday.
"I'm aware of the unfortunate slur made by Glen Kuiper," Kendrick said. "I welcomed Glen to the NLBM yesterday and know he was genuinely excited to be here. The word is painful and has no place in our society. And while I don't pretend to know Glen's heart I do know that my heart is one of forgiveness. I hope all of you will find it in yourselves to do the same!"
The A's later issued a statement Friday night, calling the language used by Kuiper "unacceptable."
Kuiper has been calling A's games in the Bay Area for about 20 years. He is the younger brother of former major leaguer and Giants announcer Duane Kuiper.
Radio announcers Johnny Doskow and Vince Controneo will rotate as play-by-play announcers during Kuiper's absence.
A's broadcaster Glen Kuiper fired after using racial slur on air.
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Oakland Athletics broadcaster Glen Kuiper was fired by NBC Sports California after using a racial slur during a telecast while describing a trip to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.Kuiper was suspended by the network earlier this month after his slur that aired during a pregame segment of an A's game against the Kansas City Royals on May 5. Kuiper talked about a trip to the museum with colleague Dallas Braden but seemingly mispronounced the word "Negro," making it sound instead like a slur.
"Following an internal review, the decision has been made for NBC Sports California to end its relationship with Glen Kuiper, effective immediately," the network said in a statement Monday. "We thank Glen for his dedication to Bay Area baseball over the years."
A person familiar with the investigation said "the decision was based on a variety of factors, including information uncovered in the internal review." The person spoke on condition of anonymity and didn't divulge specific details because the network had not publicly disclosed the results of the investigation.
Kuiper apologized on the air later in that game without getting into specifics, saying he said something that "didn't come out quite the way I wanted it to." He later issued a statement through the network when he was suspended, saying: "I could not be more sorry and horrified by what I said. I hope you will accept my sincerest apologies."
Kuiper has been calling A's games in the Bay Area for 20 years. He is the younger brother of former major leaguer and Giants announcer Duane Kuiper.
Agreed. the guy obviously misspoke trying to say negro and instead said nigger.
Unless there is some sort of history with him that hasn't been brought forward---this is just a ridiculous thing to end a 20 year career and to brand him as a racist.
edit: nevermind. I see there were other things uncovered in the internal review according to the article posted here....
