Josh Donaldson shouldn’t have made ‘Jackie’ comment
Aaron Boone spoke with Josh Donaldson and different Yankees about Saturday’s incident involving Tim Anderson, and he agrees that Donaldson shouldn’t have invoked Jackie Robinson’s title in his change with the White Sox shortstop.
Chicago supervisor Tony La Russa charged that Donaldson made a “racist” comment when he stated on the sphere to Anderson, who’s Black, “what’s up Jackie,” resulting in the benches-clearing incident later within the Yankees’ 7-5 victory. Donaldson contended after the sport that he was joking about Anderson referring to himself in a 2019 Sports Illustrated story as “today’s Jackie Robinson.”
“I understand that Josh has been very forthcoming with the history of it, the context of it. I don’t believe there was any malicious intent with that regard. This is just somewhere in my opinion he should not be going,” Boone stated earlier than Sunday’s doubleheader on the Stadium.
Boone acknowledged that he additionally was instantly bothered to be taught that Robinson’s title was used earlier than listening to Donaldson’s private and non-private explanations.
“When I first heard the name Jackie mentioned, I was really taken aback and frankly upset about it myself,” Boone stated. “I believe if you return to the context, the unique story of the place it was born out of, out of the article, after which now just a few years of claiming that, I’m much less shocked by it at that time.
“But again, I sit here, as a white guy, that did change the context for me, but I also understand how it can be offensive or upsetting.”
Boone added that his “sense” is that this isn’t a problem within the Yankees’ clubhouse.
“Again, I think Josh has been very forthcoming and I think was forthcoming yesterday about the history of it. Not that that makes it a great thing, but it definitely changes the context in my opinion about it. But I certainly understand this is sensitive and you gotta read the room in that sense.”
Boone added that he met with Donaldson in his office with a number of teammates current earlier than the primary recreation, and that the veteran third baseman additionally addressed his teammates individually.
Boone stated he additionally spoke with MLB senior VP of on-field operations Michael Hill in regards to the incident as a part of the league’s investigation into the matter. Neither Donaldson nor Anderson spoke to the media earlier than Sunday’s doubleheader, and it was unclear in the event that they’ve spoken since Saturday evening.
“I’ve said it to him in years past, not in any manner than just joking around,” Donaldson stated after Saturday’s recreation. “My meaning of that is not any term trying to be racist by any fact of the matter. That’s not what I was trying to do by any manner and that’s what happened.”
