Benches cleared between the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees on Sunday when catcher Yasmani Grandal began yelling at Josh Donaldson as he got here to the plate within the fifth inning. Grandal was standing up for teammate Tim Anderson after Donaldson made a racist comment to him on a number of events earlier within the sport.
Donaldson referred to as Anderson “Jackie” as a reference to Jackie Robinson. Listed here are Anderson’s feedback on the incident after the Yankees’ 7-5 win in New York.
Grandal obtained in Donaldson’s face when he approached residence plate. The benches cleared and Anderson needed to be restrained by teammates. You’ll be able to watch the sequence right here.
Donaldson mentioned he referred to as Anderson “Jackie” as a nod to a 2019 Sports Illustrated feature where Anderson said “I type of really feel like at present’s Jackie Robinson.” Donaldson mentioned he and Anderson joked in regards to the quote throughout a sport in 2019, however clearly Anderson didn’t discover this as some type of endearing reference between two pals.
Josh Donaldson says he referred to as Tim Anderson “Jackie” throughout at present’s sport, referencing a quote from Anderson in a 2019 story. Donaldson mentioned he felt the self-reference had been a joke between the 2 of them up to now.
— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) May 21, 2022
Right here’s the quote from the unique SI story:
That is the quote from Tim Anderson that Josh Donaldson referenced at present. He mentioned it to Sports activities Illustrated in 2019. Josh Donaldson mentioned that previously, and and Tim Anderson had joked about it. pic.twitter.com/kMaSopsNaC
— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) May 21, 2022
Donaldson’s aspect of the story — that the nickname was mentioned in good religion between two gamers who’re pleasant with one another — is extraordinarily laborious to consider given the latest historical past between Donaldson and the White Sox. Simply final week, Donaldson hit Anderson with a hard tag at third base that led to a different benches clearing argument. Final season, Donaldson taunted White Sox ace Lucas Giolito throughout a sport, which led to an escalating battle of words and a car parking zone confrontation.
Grandal additionally talked to reporters after the sport, and continued to face up for Anderson:
Yasmani Grandal says Josh Donaldson “lives in his personal world.”
“A remark like that’s simply unacceptable. It is one thing that shouldn’t be allowed.” pic.twitter.com/H12nsqOmaS
— White Sox Speak (@NBCSWhiteSox) May 21, 2022
“This sport went by a time period a number of these feedback have been made, and I feel we’re well past that,” Yasmani Grandal informed reporters, saying that Donaldson denied the incident when he confronted him within the fifth inning. “I assume he lives in his personal world.”
Donaldson was additionally getting ripped on Twitter for the incident.
The quite simple downside with Josh Donaldson calling Tim Anderson “Jackie” is that he perverted honor into mockery.
— Bradford William Davis (@BWDBWDBWD) May 21, 2022
Tim Anderson calling himself “the brand new Jackie Robinson” as a result of he attracts inspiration from Robinson’s legacy doesn’t give Josh Donaldson permission to name him Jackie
Unacceptable
Flippantly calling Anderson “Jackie” minimizes baseball’s historical past of racism and the ache it’s prompted https://t.co/2sbjg30tWu
— Joon Lee (@joonlee) May 21, 2022
Right here is Donaldson’s rationalization after the sport:
Donaldson’s remark is flat out ignorant. He was attempting to get beneath Anderson’s pores and skin by calling arguably the most important Black star in MLB at present by the identify of the person who broke baseball’s coloration barrier. It turns Robinson right into a punchline and flippantly overlooks the struggles Black gamers have needed to endure within the sport.
Anderson’s opinion is the one one who issues right here, and to him Donaldson’s rationalization to bogus. Donaldson must do some critical self-reflection.
