Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson accused Josh Donaldson of making a racist comment toward him during Saturday’s game against the New York Yankees.
Donaldson and Anderson jawed at each other between innings during Saturday’s game, which appeared to be lingering bad feelings about a controversial play last week. After the game, Anderson claimed that Donaldson had said “what’s up, Jackie” to him when the two passed each other on the field during the first inning.
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“Basically, it was trying to call me Jackie Robinson, like ‘what’s up, Jackie?'” Anderson told reporters after the game. “I don’t play like that. I don’t really play at all. I wasn’t really bothering nobody today, but he made the comment and it was disrespectful. I don’t think it was called for.”
White Sox manager Tony La Russa told reporters that Donaldson made a “racist comment” toward Anderson and refused to discuss the situation further. When asked about La Russa’s characterization, Anderson agreed that the remark was “along the same lines.”
Donaldson confirmed that he had called Anderson “Jackie,” but said it was done humorously as a reference to an old interview Anderson did. Donaldson claimed that it had previously been an inside joke between himself and Anderson.
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Anderson said Donaldson made the remark in the first inning. The two players were seen jawing while leaving the field at the end of the third, and that preceded the bench-clearing incident in the bottom of the fifth.
