The Red Sox issued an apology to Adam Jones after the Orioles outfielder said he endured racially-motivated taunts and abuse at Fenway Park on Monday night.
The Baltimore Orioles claimed a 5-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Monday at Fenway Park, but the night took an ugly turn for O’s center fielder Adam Jones. After the game, Jones said that he was the target of racist abuse from fans. Per USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale:
"“A disrespectful fan threw a bag of peanuts at me,” Jones said, “I was called the N-word a handful of times tonight. Thanks. Pretty awesome.”“It’s unfortunate. The best thing about myself is that I continue to move on, and still play the game hard. Let people be who they are. Let them show their true colors.”"
Jones said he has faced similar treatment at Fenway Park in the past, but yesterday evening’s display was the worst he’s experienced in his career.
It’s sad that news of this incident doesn’t come as all that shocking. We’ve seen plenty of abhorrent behavior from fans over the years, in virtually every major sport. But that doesn’t mean that any of us – fans, athletes, or professional organizations – should become numb to it. We should be just as outraged every time and work to make things better.
Enacting stiffer penalties for abusive fan behavior is one way of combating this issue, and Jones feels that teams should go much further in how they deal with guests who cross the line. In the USA Today story, he argues that ejecting someone from the stadium is merely a “slap on the wrist.” Instead, he believes they should be slapped with a heavy fine.
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While that might be easier said than done, Jones makes a solid point. A serious financial penalty might make would-be troublemakers think twice about their conduct, more so than the immediate inconvenience of having to leave the ballpark. Though such basic logical reasoning is likely too much to expect from intoxicated fans, as the offenders often are in such cases.
Still, it’s time for Major League Baseball to evaluate its existing policies and consider what could be improved. European soccer clubs have developed widespread campaigns to fight racially-motivated abuse, and MLB (and, frankly, other U.S. sports leagues as well) might take a cue.
To the Red Sox’s credit, they released a statement apologizing to Jones and affirming the franchise’s zero-tolerance stance concerning racism and violence directed at players. Most would agree that the organization and fanbase as a whole can hardly be held responsible for the actions of an “ignorant few,” as team president Sam Kennedy put it. But it was still an admirable move on their part to extend a hand of solidarity and attempt to move the narrative in a more positive direction.
You also have to recognize the poise and restraint shown by Jones in an extremely difficult situation. He rightfully voiced his anger and disappointment, but he never made things worse on the field when it would have been very easy (and understandable) for him to do so. Jones is the heartbeat of the Orioles and one of baseball’s most respected figures in general, and you’re seeing why here.
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The Red Sox say they are continuing to review last night’s events. Hopefully those responsible are dealt with accordingly and we don’t witness this kind of episode again.