Tigers Broadcaster Apologizes for Using Asian Accent During Shohei Ohtani Plate Appearance
You see this?
The Angels were playing the Tigers on Tuesday night when Shohei Ohtani came to the plate. One of the Detroit broadcasters, Jack Morris, decided it would be a good idea to use an Asian accent when the other broadcaster asked him how the Tigers should approach this particular at-bat.
Here’s the incident, with the guy’s later apology as well:
More anti-Asian racism against #Angels star #ShoheiOtani.
Tonight, @tigers commentator Jack Morris started talking in a racist stereotype accent when speaking about Ohtani.
Then he gave a half hearted “apology” calling him “Jose.” This is so gross. #MLB #StopAsianHate pic.twitter.com/SdvPcCCITl
— POC Culture (@POCculture) August 18, 2021
Accidentally calling him “Jose” is the cherry on top here.
Morris is 66 years old, a former MLB pitcher and Hall of Famer. He played for the Tigers from 1977 to 1990, won a World Series, and then won three more with the Twins and Blue Jays, which is super random. He won three in a row with two different teams. Morris actually was on the 1993 Blue Jays team that beat the Phils, but didn’t play in that series because he was injured (and hadn’t played well in the regular season either, so he probably wouldn’t have been out there anyway).
We’ll have to see if Morris gets cancelled here. Maybe he joins Thom Brennaman in calling high school sports soon. Only time will tell!