Following an incident over the weekend where Oakland Athletics television play-by-play announcer Glen Kuiper used a racial slur in the broadcast’s open, his colleague and color commentator Dallas Braden has spoken out.
Kuiper, who was suspended indefinitely after using inappropriate language to talk about visiting the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, apologized in the sixth inning of the game. According to Braden, he did not know anything had happened until that time, stating that he had missed the comment because of the wide array of factors broadcasters have to focus on.
“The nuances of live television mean that sometimes we, as broadcasters, miss some of what you, our audience, see and hear,” Braden said in a statement. “We have producers speaking in our ears about what is next, we are formulating our words to articulate our thoughts, we are moving direction from camera to camera, we are waiting for cues, we are checking sound. We have lots going on that is not always visible to our audience.”
Braden continued to say that while the choice of words his colleague used has had a profound impact on him, he is standing by his broadcast partner who claims that the verbiage did not come out in the way he intended.
“I don’t pretend to know Glen heart’s, [but] I do know that my heart is one of forgiveness,” Kendrick stated. “I hope all of you will find it in yourselves to do the same!”
This incident is the latest in a slew of events that have portrayed the Oakland Athletics negatively in the public light. From possums in the press box to a move to Las Vegas, the team is struggling to attract fans to the ballpark and drawing the ire of others in the sport.
Braden pitched for the Athletics from 2007 to 2011, days when the team was more competitive, albeit still out of a playoff position. He will continue his work with the team alongside a rotation of play-by-play announcers including Vince Controneo and the newly promoted Johnny Doskow.
“When issues around race occur, I’m always interested in having conversations aimed at finding healing and advancing collaborative discussions,” Braden said. “I have reached out to have those conversations, and I have listened and I have learned. I will continue to seek clarity, encourage learning and engage in dialogue to bring out the best in our diverse community.”
