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DENVER – The Colorado Rockies said a fan was shouting the name of the Dinger team mascot and not a racial slur during Sunday’s game at Coors Field. The black player who was beating at the time is not so sure.
Miami Marlins outfielder Lewis Brinson said he didn’t hear the fan scream during the game, but a day later he saw the tape again and had a different opinion.
“So I’ve watched the video at least 50 times in the last 15 to 16 hours,” Brinson said on a video conference ahead of Monday night’s game in San Diego. “I watched him a lot, especially when I heard he said Dinger instead of the N word.”
“Personally – this is still my personal opinion – personally I keep hearing the N word. It’s not that I want to hear it, I never want to hear it. Personally, I have never been called that in person to my face on the baseball field, off the baseball field, never, so I don’t know what my reaction would be if I was called that, “he said.
“But so far, repeating it, I haven’t spoken to the Rockies or to this fan personally. If so, then I’m sorry for any backlash or whatever he’s getting right now.” , did he declare.
The Rockies said on Monday that the fan, who was not identified, was in fact shouting at the club’s purple polka-dot dinosaur mascot.
After a thorough investigation that included calls, emails, and video clips from concerned fans, media and broadcast partners, the Colorado Rockies concluded that the fan was indeed screaming for the Rockies mascot Dinger in the hoping to get his attention for a photo, and there was never any racial insults taken place, ”the team said in a statement.
“The Rockies remain committed to providing an inclusive environment for all fans, players and guests at Coors Field,” the team added, “and any fan using derogatory language of any kind will be expelled from Coors Field.”
The team said fans who were sitting nearby contacted the club to defend the fan after issuing a statement on Sunday night saying he was disgusted by the epithets thrown at Brinson while he was in the ninth inning of the Colorado’s 13-8 victory in Denver.
The club then reached out to the fan, who explained that it was just a big misunderstanding and that he was only trying to get the attention of Dinger, who was in two sections.
The man’s screams were picked up by both teams’ shows although Bally Sports Florida’s show was brighter than Colorado’s because Rockies broadcaster Drew Goodman was speaking at the time.
No one on the pitch, including Brinson, reacted to the screams.
After the game, Marlins spokesman Jason Latimer said the team were aware of the clip.
“Neither Lewis, nor any other Marlin in the field or in the canoe, heard what was being shouted,” he said in a text message to The Associated Press. “We have brought the matter to the attention of the Rockies. How the matter is handled, I should defer to them.”
The Rockies condemned the suspected conduct in a statement released Sunday night.
“The Colorado Rockies are disgusted by a fan’s racist comments directed at Marlins’ Lewis Brinson in the ninth inning of today’s game,” the team said in a statement Sunday. “Although the subject was not identified until the end of the game, the Rockies are still investigating the incident.
“The Rockies have zero tolerance for any form of racism or discrimination, and any fan using derogatory language of any kind will be expelled and banned from Coors Field.”
Brinson said he didn’t hear from the fan during his fight and had no idea what was going on before the game when he started receiving messages on Instagram.
“My initial reaction was upset, man. Nobody wants to be called that. It’s a disrespectful and disgusting word that demeans my people, black people. It’s a disgusting word and no one wants to hear it,” he said. Brinson said on Monday. “I was shocked.”
“I get a lot of love and support on Instagram and I’m sure about it on Twitter. I appreciate it wholeheartedly, 100%. Again, I’m human, I have sympathy. S ‘he was screaming for the mascot, I’m sorry for any backlash or unnecessary attention he’s getting right now, “he said.
“But it does happen in our game. I don’t know if a lot of people know that. Again personally, I’ve never been called that .. but I know a lot of black players have done it and c ‘is disgusting and has to stop like right now. There is no place for that in sport, there is no place for that in life. I just don’t want this situation be thrown under the carpet, ”he said.
Coors Field fans had started to fill the stadium’s lower deck at the end of the innings, approaching for a post-game concert that was part of a Faith Day celebration.
Team officials were unable to debrief the ushers in the area where the fan shouted before the concert ended about an hour later.
Brinson got two hits and scored twice, and walked in the ninth inning. Brinson, 27, is in his fifth season in the big leagues.
The Rockies have no plans to change the name of the mascot.
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