ESPN's Stephen A. Smith , Offers Apology, to Angels' Ohtani.
ESPN's Stephen A. Smith , Offers Apology, to Angels' Ohtani.
Smith previously said that Ohtani,
a Japanese-born Major League Baseball sensation,
could not be the face of the sport due to
his need for an interpreter.
Smith previously said that Ohtani,
a Japanese-born Major League Baseball sensation,
could not be the face of the sport due to
his need for an interpreter.
His comments
came the same day that
Ohtani became the first
Japanese-born player
to participate in MLB's
Home Run Derby.
Criticism was swift, and Smith initially doubled down on his comments by clarifying that he was "talking about the marketability and the promotion of the sport." .
Criticism was swift, and Smith initially doubled down on his comments by clarifying that he was "talking about the marketability and the promotion of the sport." .
This only
drew more criticism
on social media, and
then Smith apologized.
As an African-American,
keenly aware of the damage
stereotyping has done to
many in this country, it
should've elevated my
sensitivities even more, Stephen A. Smith, via ESPN.
I screwed up. In this day
and age, with all the violence
being perpetrated against the
Asian Community, my comments,
albeit unintentional, were clearly
insensitive and regrettable, Stephen A. Smith, via ESPN.
I’m sincerely sorry for
any angst I’ve caused
with my comments, Stephen A. Smith, via ESPN.
Keith Olbermann,
a former ESPN
commentator,
called for Smith
to be suspended.
Olbermann said that Smith's
comments came at a particularly
dangerous time of heightened
anti-Asian violence. .
Ohtani, a two-way Angels superstar, played professional Japanese baseball for several years before signing with the Angels in 2017.
Ohtani, a two-way Angels superstar, played professional Japanese baseball for several years before signing with the Angels in 2017.
In 2018, he was named
American League Rookie of the Year.
In 2018, he was named
American League Rookie of the Year