Longtime play-by-play announcer Glen Kuiper was fired Monday, 17 days after using a racial epithet on the air leading into an A’s broadcast on May 5 in Kansas City.
The news came from a statement issued by a spokesperson from NBC Sports California:
“Following an internal review, the decision has been made for NBC Sports California to end its relationship with Glen Kuiper, effective immediately. We thank Glen for his dedication to Bay Area baseball over the years.”
According to a source with knowledge of the situation, the decision was based on a variety of factors, including information uncovered in the internal review.
Kuiper, 60, was suspended May 6, one day after using the epithet in place of the word “negro” in reference to what he called a “phenomenal” visit along with broadcast partner Dallas Braden to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, where the A’s were visiting the Royals.
During the sixth inning of the May 5 broadcast, Kuiper issued an on-air apology without specifically referring to what he said.
“A little bit earlier in the show, I said something, didn’t come out quite the way I wanted it to,” Kuiper said. “And I just wanted to apologize if it sounded different than what I meant it to be said. And like I said, I just wanted to apologize for that.”
The Athletics responded with a statement denouncing Kuiper’s comment, with no reference to whether they believed it to be intentional or a misstatement. The following day, NBC Sports California, which employs Kuiper, confirmed the suspension to media outlets without making a statement. Kuiper followed with an apology issued through the network.
“I could not be more sorry and horrified by what I said,” Kuiper said in the statement. “I hope you will accept my sincerest apologies.”
The incident went viral on social media, eliciting strong opinions both in defense of Kuiper as well as calling for his dismissal.
Kuiper is the younger brother of Giants analyst and former big leaguer Duane Kuiper and Giants radio producer Jeff Kuiper.
Bob Kendrick, the president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, said Monday in a phone interview that he was disappointed to see Kuiper fired because he made a mistake, albeit a very sensitive one. Kendrick, who is Black, said that Kuiper called him and apologized.
“He showed and demonstrated his remorse for something that he felt like was a word he had never used before,” Kendrick said. “Again, I have to take him at his word. And I’m really disappointed by the news. I hoped it wouldn’t come to that. I know how much pressure is put on when things like this happen.”
Former A’s pitcher Dave Stewart, who works on NBC California broadcasts and is also Black, followed Kendrick’s original tweet on May 6 asking for forgiveness with one of his own:
“I know Glen, have worked with him over the years. I believe it was an unfortunate mistake. He, as we all deserve a second chance.”
Other Black sports voices weren’t as forgiving of the epithet. ESPN analyst Ryan Clark tweeted:
“Had to listen a few times! Can’t be, Huh? His co-host didn’t even flinch. They called it that all day. They just forgot they were being filmed this time. No shock, no nothing.”
A’s analyst Dallas Braden, sitting to the right of Kuiper at the time, responded on May 8 to the perception that he didn’t react in the moment to his broadcast partner’s epithet.
“The nuances of live television mean that sometimes we, as broadcasters, miss some of what you, our audience, see and hear,” Braden said on Twitter.
Braden expressed “support and encouragement to my broadcast partner as he furthers his work in understanding the impact and hurt resulting from his unfortunate mistake.”
Giants announcer Mike Krukow, Duane Kuiper’s broadcast partner and longtime friend, said the week after the incident on KNBR that he’s known the Kuiper family for 40 years and said he would stand by Glen Kuiper “because of my belief in their values.”
Regarding Kuiper’s use of the epithet, Krukow said, “Glen Kuiper horribly misspoke. And because of that, there were a lot of people that were hurt. And there were a ton of people that were disappointed.”
Krukow referred to the forgiveness plea from Kendrick and Stewart and said, “I wonder if it’s even appropriate for me – a white guy to forgive another white guy – for misspeaking in such a racially insensitive way.”
Glen Kuiper was in his 20th season doing A’s play-by-play. A 10th-round draft pick by the Cincinnati Reds in 1982 out of Indian Hills Community College in Centerville, Iowa, Kuiper didn’t initially sign and attended the University of New Orleans.
He played minor league baseball in Spokane, Washington, in the Padres organization in 1985 and for the Erie Cardinals in the New York Penn League in 1986. He moved to the Bay Area in the late 1980s, where he studied broadcasting at San Francisco State.
Kuiper first began working on A’s broadcasts in 2004 as an on-field correspondent and fill-in announcer. He became the primary television play-by-play announcer in 2006. He did occasional work on Fox TV broadcasts as a sideline supporter as well as with the San Jose Sharks of the NHL.
Kuiper was born in Racine, Wisconsin, and grew up on a dairy farm along with his brothers and one sister.
Jason Mastrodonato and Alex Simon contributed to this report.
