Torii Hunter Retreats
Written by Jason Keidel, Friday March 12 2010
As Torii Hunter moonwalks from his dubious monologue on Hispanic baseball players, White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen took a parting shot at the Angels' outfielder.
Hunter made a wide splash among the baseball community and anyone who cares about race relations in America when he told USA Today:
"People see dark faces out there, and the perception is that they're African-American. They're not us. They're impostors. Even people I know come up and say: 'Hey, what color is Vladimir Guerrero? Is he a black player?' I say, 'Come on, he's Dominican. He's not black.'
"As African-American players, we have a theory that baseball can go get an imitator and pass them off as us. It's like they had to get some kind of dark faces, so they go to the Dominican or Venezuela because you can get them cheaper. It's like, 'Why should I get this kid from the South Side of Chicago and have Scott Boras represent him and pay him $5 million when you can get a Dominican guy for a bag of chips?' I'm telling you, it's sad."
To which Guillen responded: "Sometimes I think you have to be careful what you say. To me, he didn't hurt my feelings. I think he's a little bit behind saying we get potato chips. [Cincinnati Reds pitcher Aroldis] Chapman was given a lot of money [6-year, $30.25 million contract].
"Major League Baseball looks for quality people who can help them. They don't look for color. Latin players right now have more talent than anybody else."
Hunter has used several outlets in forming his multi-layered retreat. He wrote in his blog: "What troubles me most was the word 'impostors' appearing in reference to Latin-Americans not being black players. It was the wrong word choice, and it definitely doesn't accurately reflect how I feel and who I am....But on the field, we're all brothers, no matter where we come from."
Hunter told the Los Angeles Times: "If' its not about baseball, I'm not going to talk about it. I know what I am. Don't always believe what you read."
That quote conjures curious (and humorous) memories of Charles Barkley saying he was misquoted in his autobiography.
In essence, Hunter represents a star standing on his status, pretending to be an ambassador on world issues. it is more prevalent among actors who think their talents translate into sound political discourse.
At a time when a phalanx of the formerly oppressed are given more power over companies, teams, and government, Hunter's remarks can be seen as a step back, holding to old thoughts of old times.
More than anything, Mr. Hunter needs a history lesson. Perhaps he should begin with Roberto Clemente, who suffered the twin troubles of being dark and Latino, while struggling to learn a new language and a new country. Few ethnic groups emerged unscratched, and icons like Clemente scratched through so that Torii Hunter doesn't have to.
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