Baseball Announcer Suspended For Racist Comments About Japanese Player

Detroit Tigers legend-turned-MLB announcer Jack Morris has been suspended indefinitely after making racist comments about Japanese-born Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani.

Play-by-play commentator Matt Shepard asked Morris how the Tigers should pitch to Ohtani, but instead of just asking the question normally he decided it would be appropriate to put on a strong Asian accent while saying "be very, very careful".

Producers were clearly fuming with the broadcaster and had a not-so-quiet word with him away from the microphone.

Later in the game, Morris then issued an apology to the player.

"It has been brought to my attention and I sincerely apologise if I offended anybody, especially in the Asian community, for what I said about pitching and being careful to Shohei Ohtani," Morris said.

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He then went on a long-winded chat about how much he apparently has a great amount of respect for Ohtani as a player.

Bally Sports Detroit, the official broadcaster for the MLB game, clearly weren't buying it and wasted no time in slapping Morris with a suspension.

"Bally Sports Detroit is extremely disappointed with the remarks analyst Jack Morris made during last night's Tigers game," the network said in a statement.

"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 apologise for his insensitive remark."

PA

And it seems the broadcasters weren't the only ones who weren't too pleased with Morris' racist remarks.

The Detroit Tigers, where Morris spent 13 years as a player, issued a statement of their own condemning the MLB Hall of Famer for his actions.

"The Detroit Tigers take immense pride in honouring the diverse cultures that make up our players, coaching staff, front office, fan base and community," the Tigers said.

"We are deeply disappointed by the comments made by Jack Morris during the broadcast last night. We fully support Bally Sports Detroit's decision and their ongoing commitment to ensure that all personnel are held to the highest standards of personal conduct."

Topics: Racism, Baseball, Australia

Max Sherry

Max Sherry is a journalist for SPORTbible Australia. After migrating Down Under from London as a teenager, he instantly fell in love with Aussie sport and its culture. From NRL to AFL, cricket to rugby — you name it, Max watches it (with a beer in hand, of course). During his time at Fox Sports, he worked in the football department covering the Premier League, A-League, Socceroos and Matildas. Born a stone's throw away from West Ham's training ground, Max is obviously a die-hard Liverpool fan.

@maxysherry