DETROIT (AP) — Detroit Tigers broadcaster Jack Morris has been suspended indefinitely for racist comments made about Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani during Tuesday's game.
When asked by play-by-play announcer Matt Shepard how the Tigers should pitch to Ohtani in the sixth inning, Morris adopted an exaggerated East Asian accent while saying "be very, very careful."
When Ohtani came back up in the ninth, Morris issued a lengthy apology.
Bally Sports Detroit announced the suspension Wednesday and said the 66-year-old Morris would undergo bias training.
"Bally Sports Detroit is extremely disappointed with the remarks analyst Jack Morris made during last night's Tigers game," the network said in a statement. "Jack has been suspended indefinitely from Tigers broadcasts and will be undergoing bias training to educate him on the impact of his comments and how he can be a positive influence in a diverse community. We have a zero-tolerance policy for bias or discrimination and deeply apologize for his insensitive remark."
The Tigers, who Morris has covered since 2015 and retired his number in 2018, issued a statement.
"The Detroit Tigers take immense pride in honoring the diverse cultures that make up our players, coaching staff, front office, fan base, and community," the team said in a statement. "We are deeply disappointed by the comments made by Jack Morris during the broadcast last night. We fully support Bally Sports Detroit's decision and their on-going commitment to ensure that all personnel are held to the highest standards of personal conduct."
This isn't the first time Morris has made offensive comments.
When he was playing for the Tigers, according to the Associated Press, Morris told a Detroit Free Press female reporter that he “only talks to women when I’m naked."
