NBA's Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling has allegedly made racist remarks towards African-Americans during a conversation with his girlfriend. He believed she should not socialize and be out publicly with blacks. Baseball, of course, is not immune to having racist owners in it's history. The most notorious of which is former Cincinnati Reds owner Marge Schott.
Schott was the majority owner of the team in 1985 and through 1999. Instead of me explaining her racism and overall selfishness, I will let her do it do it herself. The following are some of the quotes she made herself over her tenure as Reds owner:
"Only fruits wear earrings" -- explaining the club's ban on wearing earrings on the field
"I feel cheated. This isn't supposed to happen to us, not in Cincinnati. This is our history, our tradition, our team. Nobody feels worse than me." -- on April 1, 1996 when the season opener was called off because home plate umpire John McSherry collapsed on the field and died.
"Why do they care about one game when they're watching another?" -- after fans complained that her cost cutting moves resulted in elimination of out of town scoreboard.
"Well, I don't like it when they come here, honey, and stay so long and then they outdo our kids. Thats not right." --On Asian Americans
"Some of the biggest problems in this city come from women wanting to leave the home and work. Why do these girl reporters have to come in the locker room? Why can't they wait outside? I don't really think baseball is a woman's place, honey. I really don't. I think it should be left to the boys."
"Everybody knows he was good at the beginning, but he just went too far." -- on Adolf Hitler.
In addition to the above quotes, he referred to of her star players, Eric Davis and Dave Parker as "million dollar n****rs".
Schott was suspended on numerous occasions and finally was forced out of baseball.
Sports and society has no place for people like Schott and Sterling. I am hoping that each generation that passes, that racism is dwindling. Hoping! This ignorance shouldn't be tolerated.
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