Cubs manager Baker 'meant what he said' (about white players not taking the heat well)

ESPN ^ | July 7, 2003

[Michael2001]

CHICAGO -- Cubs manager Dusty Baker didn't back down Monday when asked about his recent comments that black and Latin players were better suited to play in the heat than white players.

"I meant what I said. ... I try to be as honest as possible, and if that's how I feel, then that's how I feel.'' he told reporters before Monday's game, a 6-3 win by the Cubs over Florida.

On Saturday, in another pregame talk with reporters, Baker said: "We were brought over here for the heat. Isn't that history? Your skin color is more conducive to heat than it is to the lighter-skinned people. I don't see brothers running around burnt.''

Those comments have since prompted debate on radio shows and in newspaper columns across the country.

"It doesn't really matter to me because that's what I said. I'm not going to take it back,'' Baker said. "What I said to you guys is what I said to my team. I told my other teammates this a long time ago, too. When we talk about how hot it is, I told them that's why my ancestors were brought over here, for that reason, and that's history.

"My mother was a black-American history teacher in Sacramento,'' he said. "... A lot of people don't know history, that's what it sounds like to me. If they take it as reverse racism ... then they can take it wherever they want to take it.''

[AppyPappy]

I love watching liberals squirm over this.

[N. Theknow]

Funny how Dusty's team lost the World Series, maybe he wanted it for the wrong reasons. Things have a way of working out!

It was played in October at night. Coooool weather! (even for Californicate)

[L,TOWM]

The issue for me is not whether Baker is a racist. My interest is in the "respectful" tone of people asking Dusty 'Did you mean that?'

Contrast what is going with Baker with the way an obviously drunk Jimmie the Greek making his 'Because they have those big thighs and a low center of gravity. They were bred to have a low center of gravity so that they could pick cotton better.'

BTW, Baker is wrong. ESPN mentioned in their coverage of the story that the US Army has determined that African-American have higher rates of heatstroke than their honkey comrades in hot weather exersizes.

The contrast in the two cases makes for a fascinating glimpse of the societal double standard we have established in the last 30 years...

[rintense]

Really. Anyone remember Jimmy the Greek?

[Barney Gumble]

His comments also doesn't bother me, but likewise if a white manager had said "oh the black players can't handle the cold as well as white people" the quote would be all over mainstream press.

[orchid]

Jimmy "the Greek" paraphrased what Rafer Johnson said about blacks being able to run faster and jump higher because of breeding.

[AD from SpringBay]

I don't see where you get off insinuating that he's a racist.

That's right. Only whites are racist.

[PISANO]

Jimmy said that BLACKS were BRED for strength. He made a FACTUAL statement and was crucified by LIBS in every corner of the universe. That was no more a racist statement then what Dusty said. The ONLY difference is that Dusty will have a job and a life tomorrow.

[orchid]

Jimmy "the Greek" paraphrased what Rafer Johnson said about blacks being able to run faster and jump higher because of breeding.

[B Knotts]

Dusty Baker is not very intelligent.

This is bull.

Dusty has proven himself to be able to win consistently with teams that have not always been highly talented. He is one of the best managers out there today.

[666beast]

you can believe that if you want, but the players are in place before he manages them. He had a great roster in 'frisco and a great one in chicago. That's the GM's work.

let's see him manage tampa bay or detroit.

whatever the case may be, he just doesn't speak well. Some intelligent people don't, but I don't think that's the case with Dusty.

I think his brain is Dusty.

[proudofthesouth]

Liberals are hypocrites.

[presidio9]

Right. And Peter Aliss got fired for saying that women could not play golf as well as women because their breasts got in the way of the perfect swing.

[Henchster]

Ben Wright.

Different guy, similar accent.

[Enterprise]

I doubt if white managers want to get in this type of briar patch, but if they do, they need to preface their comment with the words, "According to Dusty Baker, blacks and latinos play better in the heat and whites play better in the cold."

Other whites can use Dusty Baker's comments to say things like, "Whites are generally good builders because they lived in the cold and needed good structures to help them survive freezing raid and snowy weather. Whereas, blacks and latinos lived in dirt huts and jungles and didn't inherit the need to have clean, sturdy, living quarters or places to work."

They can go and say that whites developed better educational and medical systems because they had a lot of time to sit around and think because of their relatively safer living enviornments, but blacks and latinos had to continually run from lions, tigers, and bears (oh my) and didn't have time to think.

[LanPB01]

I don't see what's so bad about Baker's statements.

[Enterprise]

freezing raid = freezing rain (oops)

[jpl]

Remember, this is the dude whose six-year-old kid nearly killed in the World Series last year by being out on the field while the game was going on.

[smith288]

- Several years ago, I saw a black comic joking about how black people didn't like cold weather. It didn't seem too very controversial to me.

Its true...my dad is a cop and says the most peaceful days are at sub freezing temperatures...