Racist remarks at Fenway Park unfortunately have been brought up recently.
And as combating racism is the main conversation being had around the country in light of the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery, we’ve been reminded of those troubling incidents at the historic ballpark.
Torii Hunter recently revealed he was subjected to racially charged taunts throughout his career while playing on the road in Boston, among other black players around the league. And the Boston Red Sox didn’t hesitate to stand by the retired outfielder with a statement validating his experience.
But the slurs weren’t just reserved for opposing players, according to former Red Sox third baseman Kevin Youkilis.
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“Boston was tough. Being a fan favorite there, being a white guy, being Jewish with Brookline right down the street – a very Jewish neighborhood, I was lucky,” Youkilis told Chris Broussard on FOXSports Radio this week, as transcribed by MassLive’s Matt Vautour.
“They loved me. But I did see some tension with even my own teammates. There was one incident where a fan came running down and was being extra harsh towards one of our black players, and I just got fed up and I stood up and told him to ‘Shut the ‘F’ up, and if he doesn’t like it get out of here.
“I will never forget that moment because I was boiling. You could see the tension, and it wasn’t the same tension that was towards a white player. For the most part, I’d like to say too, though, with Red Sox fans, it’s not the majority it’s a minority of people that act like that. But the minority is too big, and you have to eliminate that. There’s no place for that. I just feel awful. I’ve always felt awful. I wish I could have done more during that time.”
Youkilis, who played for the Red Sox from 2004-12, spoke to learning more about the black experience from a roommate in college, and is hopeful that with these conversations now at the forefront of society, more progress will be made.
“We need to break bread more,” he said. “We need to sit around have dinner and talk about things and not be defensive and just listen and hear people out.”
