The Major League Baseball (MLB)’s latest endeavour to bring in more black players to the sport may just have met its biggest slap after a fan was seen hurling a racist slur at Lewis Brinson of the Miami Marlins during their match against Colorado Rockies on Sunday.
The incident had taken place during the game at Coors Field in Denver when Brinson, who is Black, was at the plate during the ninth inning. A voice from the crowd yelled the n-word at the 27-year-old outfielder.
Some fan was screaming “Nigger” as loud as he could at Miami Marlins player Lewis Brinson at Coors Field pic.twitter.com/EAprfMhZbe
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) August 8, 2021
Lewis Brinson was called the n-word, but the perpetrator remains unidentified
As only the voice was heard and the camera failed to pinpoint the exact person saying it, it was unclear if the slur was directed at Brinson or any other player. However, Marlins revealed after the match that none of their players, including Brinson, had heard the slur during the game.
On the other hand, the slur was clearly heard by anyone watching the game on television, and several netizens flocked Twitter with short clips of the incident, expressing their distaste towards the incident, including Marlins play-by-play announcer Paul Severino.
“I’m absolutely disgusted at the language that was picked up by the mics late in the game today. The level of hate that was displayed has no place in this world. Unfortunately it’s still far too prevalent. We need to be better. And soon. Awful,” tweeted Severino.
I’m absolutely disgusted at the language that was picked up by the mics late in the game today.
The level of hate that was displayed has no place in this world. Unfortunately it’s still far too prevalent. We need to be better. And soon.
Awful.
— Paul Severino (@SeverinoMLB) August 8, 2021
Brinson was indeed made aware of the slur and in response, took to his official Instagram handle to post a photo along with a short and simple caption that read, “Keep going.”
View this post on Instagram
According to ESPN, an official statement from the Rockies after the game condemned the behaviour by the accused fan and added that any kind of similar behaviour will not be tolerated at Coors Field, as the team continues to identify the perpetrator.
“The Colorado Rockies are disgusted at the racial slur by a fan directed at the Marlins’ Lewis Brinson during the ninth inning of today’s game,” the statement from the Rockies read, “Although the subject was not identified prior to the end of the game, the Rockies are still investigating this incident.”
