Austin’s brawl ban down to 4 games
YAWKEY WAY is Jersey Street again.
The legendary two-block street outside Fenway Park, named for Tom Yawkey, the former owner of the Red Sox, was changed Thursday morning. The edit was made in an effort by current ownership to break ties with Yawkey, whom Jackie Robinson reportedly once called “the biggest bigot in professional baseball.”
Under Yawkey, the Red Sox were the last team in baseball to sign a black player, in 1959, 12 years after Robinson broke the color line.
Yawkey owned the Red Sox from 1933 until he died in 1976.
Jersey Street was renamed in his honor in 1975, but the Public Improvement Commission ratified the change back to its original name Thursday morning in Boston, a decision that is sure to anger some Boston baseball fans, similar to how taking the offensive Chief Wahoo out of service has irked some Indians fans. Yawkey was beloved by many in Boston, a city his charities donated some $300 million to over the years.
The Yawkey Foundation, which has fought against the name change, called the allegations against the former owner false, “based on a false narrative,” and added that Thursday was a “sad day.”
“Tom Yawkey deserved to have his name live on at Fenway Park,” the Yawkey Foundation said in a statement. “We can’t change today’s decision, but we remain hopeful that he will be remembered as the good and decent man he truly was.”
Last year, Baltimore’s Adam Jones accused Fenway fans of shouting racial taunts at him during a game, the latest in a long line of unfortunate incidents in Boston sports history. The accusation started a greater conversation in the city,
Tand in an effort to sever the connection with Yawkey, current Red Sox owner John Henry requested the name change.
A 1959 Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination investigation first uncovered bias throughout Yawkey’s organization. Walter Carrington, who led that probe, recently compared the name of the street to a Confederate statue.
“It is a disgrace,” he said, according to NPR. “Every time I — or any black — go into Fenway Park, it’s an insult.”
On Thursday, going to a Red Sox game got a little less insulting. he Yankees will be without Tyler Austin for the next four games, beginning Friday night in Anaheim.
Austin and a team spokesman revealed Thursday that MLB has reduced his suspension from the original five slapped against the rookie first baseman for charging the mound after being drilled by Boston’s Joe Kelly on April 11, triggering a bench-clearing brawl between the longtime rivals.
“I don’t want to get into whether I agree with or not, but I’m happy they knocked one game down. I’m thankful for that,” Austin said after Thursday’s 4-3 comeback win over the Twins. “Obviously I don’t want to be suspended at any point in time, but it’s happened, we’ve got to deal with it and move forward.
“I’m happy to finally know what the decision was. I kind of anticipated it being a game or two knocked off. I’m thankful that’s the case.”
Kelly also had appealed his sixgame suspension, but his ban was not reduced, according to the Boston Globe.
Austin, whose appeal of the suspension was heard last week, is batting .290 with five home runs and 16 RBI in 17 games, despite striking out in all three at-bats on Thursday. With Greg Bird (ankle) still on the disabled list, slumping veteran Neil Walker (.172) likely will man first base in Austin’s absence.
“The timing is not perfect, obviously. He’s been a really important player to us,” Aaron Boone said of Austin. “We’re getting ready for Anaheim, where we’re facing two lefties and we really like him against lefties, obviously. But that is the situation we’re in right now and we’ll pick it up and hopefully pick up the slack when he’s down and we’re playing a little bit short.”