Banner year: Sox face race again
Fans used baseball and racism in the same sentence Wednesday night at the site that has been at the center of the issue this season.
Suspended from the Green Monster at Fenway Park during the Red Sox’s game against the Athletics was a large black banner denouncing racism that read, “Racism is as American as baseball.” The white lettering jumped out from the black background and draped all the way down to cover part of the Foxwoods logo on the outfield wall.
“Yeah, I saw it,” right fielder Mookie Betts said. “There’s no place for that. That’s for another day, though.”
The banner was visible for about one batter before security escorted the fans, with the sign, from the stands. Scattered boos could be heard throughout the stadium.
“During the 4th inning of tonight’s game, four fans unfurled a banner over the left field wall in violation of the club’s policy prohibiting signs of any kind to be hung or affixed to the ballpark,” the Red Sox said in a statement released later, according to NBC Boston. “The individuals involved were escorted out of Fenway Park.”
The Red Sox fanbase faced racial controversy in May after Orioles outfield Adam Jones accused fans of hurling racial slurs at him, including the N-word, and throwing a bag of peanuts in his direction. A day later, Boston permanently banned a fan from Fenway after he used a racial slur in the stands at that night’s game.
Jones’ experience led others to speak out about the city’s varied history of racial intolerance. Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia said at the time black players “expect” racial taunts when they play at Fenway.
In August, Red Sox owner John Henry announced his intention to help rename the famous street outside Fenway, Yawkey Way, due to its association with racial bias. hwithiam@nypost.com