Does the intent of our language no longer matter?
Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson was handed down a one-game suspension by Major League Baseball this week in response to calling White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson, “Jackie.”
At first glance, a white baseball player calling a black player “Jackie” seems to insinuate racial connotation; however, let us review several preceding events for context.
April 17, 2019: During the fourth inning of a game against the Kansas City Royals, Anderson blasts a two-run homer against pitcher Brad Keller. Upon exiting the batter’s box, Anderson turns to his dugout and throws his bat in their direction.
Two innings later, Keller fires a 92-mph fastball at Anderson’s back, the benches clear, and Anderson, who again, is black, calls Keller a, “weak-a– f—-ing n—er.”
May 6, 2019: Three weeks later Sports Illustrated publishes a feature on Tim Anderson where he is quoted saying, “I feel like today’s Jackie Robinson. He changed the game, and I feel like I need to change the game too.”
May 21, 2022: Donaldson calls Anderson ‘Jackie’ on the field of play (which Donaldson admits he has done in the past, and the two have joked about this matter). The players on both teams then clear the benches preparing for a brawl, and as a result of the event, Donaldson receives a one-game suspension.
For the record, I am not a black man, and I haven’t experienced life as a black man in this country. Further, I never want to make light of a situation when someone says he feels discriminated against.
However, I am an athlete, and I’ve played a lot of baseball – so let’s start by highlighting one of baseball’s time-honored, unwritten rules; celebrate all you want after hitting a home run, but understand, the more you celebrate, the more likely it is you will be thrown at during your next at-bat. Even most t-ball players understand this…and they don’t even face pitchers.
On April 17, 2019, Tim Anderson excessively celebrates a home run and he is subsequently hit by a fastball. He is far from the first, or the last, person to be hit by a pitch intentionally. That doesn’t make him Jackie Robinson. In fact, I find it disrespectful, and ironic, for Anderson to liken himself to a civil rights icon, especially when it is Anderson who shouted the very racial slur that was used venomously and incessantly to keep Jackie Robinson down.
When a person goes out on a limb and makes a comparison about himself that doesn’t hold water, it is often his colleagues and peers who have a go at him, especially in sports where trash talking is nearly baptismal in its tradition. I’d like to think that’s what happened here, that Donaldson was just joshing around (pun intended).
Now let’s move to Major League Baseball’s commissioner Rob Manfred, and the executives in his employ. Had they found Donaldson’s comment to possess racist intent, he should have been suspended for longer than one game. We have no place in our society for racially-motivated discrimination, and I have no problem telling Josh Donaldson that to his face. If, however, Major League Baseball determined there was no racial malice, why suspend Donaldson at all?
This appears to be yet another example in our society where it’s easier for an institution to have its public relations team make the important decisions, rather than stand by a clear set of unshakeable principles.
One MLB executive announced, “…regardless of Mr. Donaldson’s intent, the comment was disrespectful, and warrants discipline.” Disrespectful and racist are two vastly different accusations. If the bar for suspensions rests at disrespect, there will be no players on the field, and likely no fans in the stands!
No one other than Donaldson can state his intent in this situation, but if Tim Anderson’s reaction to this comment was laughter, rather than anger, would Major League Baseball still have suspended JD? Or, is Donaldson only being punished due to the other players reaction? Intent matters – or at least it used to.
I have a feeling if Josh Donaldson anointed himself the modern-day Babe Ruth, the name Babe would rain down on him in every stadium after every strike out for the rest of his career.
I must admit, in closing, I was struck by another comment from Tim Anderson’s Sports Illustrated interview, where he was quoted saying, “I’m bringing something to baseball that’s never been brought, because baseball is boring.”
Baseball isn’t boring. I’ll tell you what’s boring – listening to a multi-millionaire, professional ball player whine and complain after likening himself to one of the strongest civil rights icons of the modern sports era.
When someone sees himself as the modern day Jackie Robinson, fighting prejudice on all fronts, he will begin to see everything around him through the lens of prejudice. Tim Anderson – you’re no Jackie.
David Cone is a co-host and producer of the Daily Wire’s sports show Crain & Company, as well as a contributor to Morning Wire. David is also a former quarterback for the University of Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @davidadamcone