Milton Bradley Can’t Stop The Racism

Milton Bradley is waiting for a hearing on his appeal of a two-game suspension issued by Major League Baseball after he argued a called third strike by home plate umpire Larry Vanover on April 16. Milton Bradley says:

“I’m just not into negativity,”… “I can see already I’m going to be that guy that since nothing else is going on in here — ‘We’re going to harp on Bradley all year and see if we can get him to snap.’ I’m not going to go for it. …You can’t get a good story if I don’t talk to [the media],” … “You’ll make something up like you always do. If I talk to you, you’re going to make something up, and if I don’t talk to you, you’re going to make something up. So just go ahead and make something up and leave me out of it.”

About his suspension:

“It was a surprise to me,” … “I had no idea I touched him. They need a video forensic scientist to find a frame that shows I touched him with the bill of my helmet. It is what it is. I’m appealing because I didn’t feel that I touched him. I just want to say that I didn’t do it, and didn’t do it intentionally.”

A big hat tip goes out to Can’t Stop the Bleeding who has been on the scene chronicling the local media reaction to Milton Bradley since the first day he signed by the Cubs. It is yet another story of how an athlete with a history of controversial incidents carries a life sentence by local media. But the story is much bigger than that. CTSB has the latest 2-game suspension, and previous media hypocrisy covered:

“Milton Bradley picks up where I left off and tells the Chicago sports media to go fuck itself. He broke his silence to the Cubs official reporter, Carrie Muskat, here. Most notably, for CSTB self-promotional purposes, Bradley accuses locals of what I’ve been saying here: That a Paul Sullivan basically twists stories out of nothing about him (or, imo, that Sully outright makes shit up), that a Gordon Wittenmyer tries to provoke him, and that the local gasbags windy city media sandbag him en masse with the ugly conceit that for Bradley to point out racism in baseball means he’s the problem, not the racism.”

About that point, CSTB chronicled the immediate reaction to the Bradley’s signing in January:

“It’s amazing what the Chicago papers take for granted in their town.  As in, a major reason not to sign Bradley is racist fans who will set him off. I guess that means sign an all-white team to appease the goons in the bleachers, if I follow the reasoning?  Take note, not one of these reporters suggests Wrigley toss racists out.  Sadly, race is on the table in the Bradley deal, but it’s seen entirely as his problem:  not fans, not media, and certainly not (unthinkably) Jeff Kent’s.”

“The following all reject the Bradley deal and want DeRosa back.  My advice, reread DeRosa’s blog on what it’s like to choke in two consecutive post season sweeps and rethink how indispensable he or anyone else is. There are those who would say that Bradley should look at Jackie Robinson’s example and ignore the racists with silent dignity.  Me, I say, that was 1948.  It’s 2008, we have a black President for God’s sake, and black players shouldn’t have to shut up for the sake of a bunch of racist drunks or cave-dweller columnists. Here’s a sampling of the de facto acceptance of racism (or omission of it, in the Deluca case) in Chicago…”

This last line is no small point. CSTB calls out the local Chicago writers acceptance of racism. Wouldn’t a real journalist use this as an excellent opportunity to write a column promoting a no tolerance policy by Chicago management?  Wouldn’t a real journalist bring up past precedent like when a fan who taunted Dikembe Mutombo as a “monkey” he immediately had his season tickets revoked? Wouldn’t a real journalist inform the public that “freedom of speech” only means that you can’t get arrested for it, but getting tossed from a stadium is perfectly fine (like virtually any other establishment)? …that attendance is a privilege, and not a right.

Local media should serve as a watchdog, but fails to do its job at the expense of its own team. This story is not new, only updated. Led by owner Tom Yawkey, Red Sox management once famously passed on first cracks at Jackie Robinson (1945) and Willie Mays (1949) and payed a stiff 86-year price for their decisions. Almost all of the local Boston media remained silent during that time [1]. Now it has been over 100 years since the Cubbies won a series and two years ago former all-star Torii Hunter ruled Chicago out on account of the racial climate emanating from the stands. Not just tolerated by local management — but tolerated by local media.  Something tells me that Hunter ain’t the first or the last to cross the Cubbies off the list. Whether local media enables racism by yesterday’s management or today’s fans,

the more things change…

If unchecked by media and management, these problems continue long after Milton Bradley gets traded to the next team or retires. Thanks again to CSTB for tackling the disease instead of the symptoms…

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Notes/Resources:

[1] In 1945, the Boston media was largely silent despite the fact that all were aware of Jackie Robinson’s 1945 tryout. The few exceptions were members of the black press led by the great Wendell Smith and his tireless crusade to integrate baseball. In the mainstream “white papers” only Dave Egan spoke up with any conviction while most papers made no mention at all. For the most definitive and extensive account of Jackie Robinson’s Boston tryout, check out Glenn Stout’s, Race, Jackie Robinson, and the Red Sox.  For a historical review of how racism — more than any other factor — is responsible for the Red Sox 86 year drought, Howard Bryant’s book: “Shut Out: A Story of Race and Baseball in Boston” is a “must-purchase”.