Two days after A’s broadcaster Glen Kuiper was suspended for saying what sounded like a racial slur on the air, his booth partner, former A’s pitcher Dallas Braden, issued a statement about the matter.
The team suspended Kuiper on Saturday, saying he would remain on the air until a full review of the incident was completed. Kuiper appeared to say the slur while describing a recent trip to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
In his statement, Braden described his perspective on the incident, and said his silence on the matter so far has been “misrepresented.”
My thoughts: pic.twitter.com/D7jc67X7Pb
— Dallas Braden (@DALLASBRADEN209) May 9, 2023
“At the time of the incident, I was not aware that anything in the broadcast was wrong,” Braden’s statement read. “The nuances of live television mean that sometimes we, as broadcasters, miss some of what you, our audience, see and hear… At that moment, I missed the live commentary, and I didn’t know it until sixth inning when Glen. Kuiper apologized. I want you to know that this incident, frankly, affected me a lot.”
Kuiper addressed the incident during the sixth inning of Friday night’s game, saying the word “didn’t come out the way I wanted it to” and apologized “if it sounded different” than intended.
Braden, who is in his third season as Oakland’s TV color commentator, offered support for Kuiper and described the incident as a “tragic mistake.”
“When race issues arise, I’m always interested in having conversations aimed at finding healing and advancing partnership discussions,” Braden’s statement read. “I reached out to talk, and I listened, and I learned. I will continue to seek clarity, encourage learning, and engage in dialogue to bring out the best in our diverse community.
