Veteran baseball announcer utters the ‘N-word’ – and doesn’t appear to realise
Veteran Baseball commentator Glen Kuiper has been suspended by the Oakland Athletics after he said the ‘N-word’ while live on air.
Kuiper was commentating alongside A’s TV analyst Dallas Braden when he said the word on air. At the time, Kuiper was talking about a visit he made to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri. However, instead of saying ‘negro’ he said “n***** Leagues Baseball Museum” without any bleeps or corrections.
Neither Kuiper nor Braden flinched when the words left his mouth, suggesting they did not even realise what was said. However, Kuiper, who apologised before the start of the sixth inning between the A’s and the Kansas City Royals and once again the following day, has paid the price.
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A spokesperson from NBC Sports California told CNN that he has been suspended indefinitely and will remain off air until a review of the incident is completed. The pair will be replaced by Johnny Doskow and Vince Controneo.
Having been informed of what was broadcast, Kuiper said on air, “a little earlier in the show, I said something, didn’t come out quite the way I wanted it to. I just wanted to apologise if it sounded different than I meant it to be said. … I just wanted to apologise for that.”
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(Image: NBC)
He then filed another apology soon after, saying “I could not be more sorry and horrified by what I said. I hope you will accept my sincerest apologies.”
A statement from Bob Kendrick, the president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, admitted the word is “painful” but did appear to accept his apology. In a statement filed on Instagram, Kenrick wrote, “I’m aware of the unfortunate slur made by Glen Kuiper.
“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 Athletics also filed their own statement on the matter, describing his comment as “unacceptable” before stating they are “working to address the situation.”
Kuiper is in his 20th season as the A’s lead voice and has been reporting on baseball in the Bay Area for NBC Sports California since 1992.
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