Mets coach apologizes for using racial slur in clubhouse

By Ted Berg   3 hours ago

 

Mets pitching coach Dan Warthen released a statement on Wednesday to apologize for an ethnic slur he used in conversation with Japanese-American interpreter Jeff Cutler, overheard by Stu Woo of the Wall Street Journal.

“I’m sorry I called you a ‘Chinaman’ yesterday,” Warthen told Cutler.

“It’s OK,” Cutler replied.

“I didn’t mean to insinuate –- I know you’re not Chinese,” Warthen said. He paused. “I thought it was a pretty good joke, though.”

“It was,” Cutler said, with a small laugh.

Yikes. There’s not a lot of context for the comment, but professional athletes and coaches — and everyone, really — should know better than to ever use ethnic and racial slurs in the workplace.

Even after the well-publicized and awful mistreatment of Jonathan Martin in the Dolphins’ locker room, Warthen apparently didn’t think twice about using the term “chinaman” to describe an Asian-American underling in a clubhouse open to the press, in front of strangers.

That alone is pretty damning, even if the 61-year-old Warthen’s comment came from ignorance and not hatred. The Journal has his apology, and one from Mets GM Sandy Alderson:

“I apologize for the thoughtless remarks that I made yesterday in the clubhouse. They were a poor attempt at humor but were wrong and inappropriate in any setting.  I am very sorry,” Warthen said.

“On behalf of the entire organization, I apologize for the insensitive remarks made by of one of our staff members. The remarks were offensive and inappropriate and the organization is very sorry,” added Alderson.