El Profe: Blass’ Acuña comments need context
By Adrian Burgos
Steve Blass is trending on social media for all the wrong reasons. Blass, who eulogized Roberto Clemente at his 1973 funeral, complained about jewelry-wearing young players after Pirates pitcher Steven Brault hit star Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña, Jr. with a pitch.
The longtime Pirates broadcaster, who is slated to retire after the 2019 season, said, “I was getting ready to say, you know . . . with a young player doing all that stuff and all the jewelry and all the stuff, back in the day, I’m not saying it’s right or wrong . . .”
Blass didn’t want listeners to misunderstand the implication of his statement. So he clarified when broadcast partner John Wehner asked if Blass was implying Brault purposefully hit Acuña. Not at all was Blass response, “That is why I qualified that as back in the day.”
The issue for many who are criticizing Blass was not whether he was accusing the Pirates pitcher of intentionally throwing at last year’s National League Rookie of the Year. Instead, the controversy has erupted around his “a young player doing all that stuff and all the jewelry” comment.
Lost in the social media frenzy when controversial comments are made is the distinction between someone who is a racist and a person who can say racist things.
The invocation of Clemente’s name is important for context. Clemente was insistent that all people be treated with dignity and respect. Moreover, he insisted that Afro-Latinos be treated fairly by journalists, whether broadcast or sportswriters.
Defending a Friend
Many inside major league circles think of Blass as a good guy. He befriended Clemente and Manny Sanguillén as Pirates teammates during their playing days. An ebullient Blass is often remembered for joining Clemente in the postgame celebration right after the Great One addressed his parents in Spanish to ask their blessing after the Pirates won the 1971 World Series. An emotional Blass spoke at Clemente’s funeral.
Sanguillén took to social media to defend Blass.
The retired Pirates catcher also posted that he wore a chain during his playing days, and that fellow Pirate teammate Dock Ellis wore earrings. He then declared “If you knew Steve you would know he would know he is honestly not racist.”
Blass Off
Blass’ comments after Acuña was hit were out of line, even if the veteran broadcaster is known as a good guy.
The complaint about jewelry-wearing players is more than a generational critique of young players. It is a flawed memory of “back in the day.” Even Sanguillén’s defense reminds us that there were young African American and Latino players wearing jewelry back in the day.
A number of those criticizing Blass, such as NBC Sports Craig Calcetarra, note the complaint about young players “weary jewelry and all that stuff” is largely levied against Latinos and African Americans in baseball.
This is both about Blass and not. Blass took the moment of Acuña getting hit by a 2-2 pitch to comment about young players who wear jewelry and stuff. He is not alone as a broadcaster in making an overly generalized comment that some could read as racist.
This issue raises the issue of diversity among major league broadcasters, particularly in terms of age—for generational perspectives—and race. Such diversity matters because a regular Latino media presence at the ballpark and in the broadcast booth can provide another voice about what is happening in the game.
It is noteworthy that the Pirates are one of the few major league teams that don’t have a Spanish language broadcast. It’s difficult to know if the presence of Latino broadcast associates would have impacted the tone of comments made by those like Blass and Wehner.
However, it might better address the issue of press treatment of Latinos, especially, Afro-Latinos, which was one of Clemente’s lingering complaints during his playing days.
Featured Image: Joe Sargent / Getty Images Sport