A’s announcer Glen Kuiper let go by network after racial epithet
Glen Kuiper will not return as the Oakland Athletics’ TV play-by-play announcer for NBC Sports California, a spokesperson for the network said Monday.
Kuiper was under suspension by the network after he uttered a racial epithet during an A’s pregame show May 5 in Kansas City, Mo.
NBC Sports California decided to end its relationship with Kuiper, effective immediately, after an internal review of the incident, the spokesperson said.
A person with knowledge of the situation said the decision was based on a variety of factors, including information found in the review.
Kuiper, in a statement Monday night, said his contract was terminated “due to the unintentional use of an offensive word on the air during the May 5 pregame show.”
In a segment before the A’s played the Royals on May 5, Kuiper referred to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City but pronounced the word “n—.” Kuiper was describing an earlier visit to the museum with analyst Dallas Braden, which Kuiper said was part of a “phenomenal day.”
In his statement Monday, Kuiper said he spent about three hours at the museum May 5 “in an effort to better understand and more deeply appreciate the difficulties and social barriers African American players endured in MLB’s early years,” and that he was “excited and eager” to mention the visit during the pregame segment.
“In my excitement, I rushed through the word ‘negro’ resulting in my very unfortunate mispronunciation,” Kuiper said. “I sincerely apologize to everyone who was hurt by this. It was a terrible but honest mispronunciation, and I take full responsibility.
“Please know racism is in no way a part of me; it never has been and it never will be.”
Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, said by phone Monday that he was “disappointed” to learn of Kuiper’s firing.
“I had hoped that the punishment that had been issued would be more than enough to move beyond this situation and unfortunately it wasn’t,” Kendrick said.
Kendrick said that Kuiper had reached out to him last week “to reiterate what I’d already felt was his sincere apology for the utterance of the racial slur. And I certainly did not think it was something intended. I understand the serious nature of that, but I was more than willing to accept his apology because I felt that his apology was sincere.”
Kendrick met with Kuiper and Braden during their visit to the museum and said, “From my purview, both of them were genuinely excited about the experience. So when I caught wind of the slur, I was as shocked as anyone.”
After the incident, Kendrick issued a statement on Twitter expressing forgiveness for Kuiper. Kendrick said Monday that “since I’ve accepted his apology, I’ve been getting a little hate myself for accepting the apology. It seems almost counterintuitive that you would get hate for forgiving, but that’s the cynical world that we live in, and I understand that and my skin is thick enough to deal with that as well.”
Former A’s pitcher Dave Stewart quoted Kendrick’s original statement on Twitter and added: “Bob it could not have been said any better.
“I know Glen, have worked with him over the years,” Stewart wrote. “I believe it was an unfortunate mistake. He, as we all deserve a second chance.”
The A’s declined to comment Monday.
Kuiper issued an on-air apology during the May 5 game without specifying what the apology was about. When NBC Sports California announced his suspension the next day, Kuiper issued an apologetic statement through the network saying he “could not be more sorry and horrified by what I said.”
Kuiper said Monday he appreciated Kendrick’s and Stewart’s public support following the incident.
“I am an honest, caring, kind, honorable, respectful husband and father who would never utter a disparaging word about anybody,” Kuiper said in his statement. “Those who know me best know this about me.
“I wish the Oakland A’s and NBC Sports would have taken into consideration my 20-year career, my solid reputation, integrity and character, but in this current environment traits like integrity and character are no longer considered. I will always have a hard time understanding how one mistake in a 20-year broadcasting career is cause for termination, but I know something better is in my future.”
On May 8, Braden, the former A’s pitcher and now analyst, posted comments on Twitter about the incident. Braden wrote he “missed the live comment,” noting there are producers talking and other unseen elements of the live telecast, and he was unaware of it until Kuiper’s apology before the sixth inning.
Braden wrote: “I want to express my support and encouragement to my broadcast partner, Glen Kuiper, as he furthers his work in understanding the impact and hurt resulting from this unfortunate mistake.”
Kuiper was in his 20th season as the A’s lead TV play-by-play announcer. He had worked for NBC Sports California and its predecessors since 1992, also as a pregame host and fill-in play-by-play voice on A’s and Giants telecasts.
Kuiper said in his statement Monday: “I love the game of baseball and I love being a broadcaster, and I love the Bay Area community. I hope I will be remembered for that.”
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
