Longtime Oakland Athletics announcer Glen Kuiper issued an on-air apology on Friday after appearing to use a racial slur before the team’s Friday road game against the Kansas City Royals.
Speaking pregame on NBC Sports California, Kuiper was referring to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum when he appeared to say, “We had a phenomenal day today. (N-word) League Museum and Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque.”
Prior to the sixth inning, Kuiper said, “A little earlier in the show, I said something, didn’t come out quite the way I wanted it to. And I just wanted to apologize if it sounded different than I meant it to be said. And like I said, I just wanted to apologize for that.”
The A’s issued a statement on Twitter, “The language used by Glen Kuiper during today’s pregame broadcast is unacceptable. The Oakland Athletics do not condone such language. We are working to address the situation.”
The language used by Glen Kuiper during today’s pregame broadcast is unacceptable. The Oakland Athletics do not condone such language. We are working to address the situation.
— Oakland A's Communications (@AthleticsPR) May 6, 2023
Kuiper, 59, has been an announcer on A’s games since 2004. His older brother, Duane, is a longtime San Francisco Giants announcer who played 12 seasons as a major league infielder.
The Royals beat the A’s 12-8 on Friday.
–Field Level Media