Racism in Sports
In a recent interview, boxing great Floyd Mayweather Jr. accused HBO's announcers of bias against him and other black fighters. "They praise white fighters, they praise Hispanic fighters, whatever. But black fighters, they never praise," said Mayweather. Click through to see other racially charged incidents from recent sports history.
Lisa Blumenfeld, Getty Images
Radio host Don Imus, right, made a controversial comment about Cowboys defensive back Pacman Jones during one of his shows in June. Imus later said his remarks were intended to show the unfair treament of blacks.
AP / Getty Images
Mauricia Grant, seen here working at Daytona International Speedway in 2007, is suing NASCAR for $225 million, alleging racial and sexual discrimination, sexual harassment and wrongful termination.
Laura Reitz, AP
In an April newspaper interview, Los Angeles Angels star Torii Hunter stated he had heard racial taunts from Red Sox fans at Fenway Park in the past. "'That N-word.' Some people would chant that out, some people would throw beer or whatever ... batteries," said Hunter.
Lisa Blumenfeld, Getty Images
Kosuke Fukudome has become a sensation in his first season in Chicago, but shirts emblazoned with a stereotypical caricature of Asians and the words "Horry Kow" (a play on ex-Cubs announcer Harry Caray's home run call) offended the Japanese outfielder.
Nam Y. Huh, AP
Earlier this year, Golf Channel analyst Kelly Tilghman said on air that other golfers should "lynch [Tiger Woods] in a back alley" to better compete with him. In the aftermath, Golfweek Magazine ran a cover with a hanging noose, for which editor Dave Seanor was fired.
Golfweek / AP
Imus also caused a stir in 2007 when he referred to members of the Rutgers women's basketball team as "nappy-headed hos." CBS canceled his long-running show 'Imus in the Morning,' but he returned to airwaves with ABC later in the year.
Spencer Platt, Getty Images
Rush Limbaugh was hired as a commentator for ESPN's NFL pre-game show Sunday Countdown, but he lasted only a few weeks after implying that Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb received great praise mostly because he was black.
Getty Images
Former golfer and current CBS commentator Bobby Clampett made waves at this year's Masters when he referred to golfer Liang Wen-Chong as "the Chinaman" on air.
Mike Powell, Allsport / Getty Images
African soccer players, like Cameroon international Samuel Eto'o, are often the targets of racially charged taunts in Spain. Fans of Real Zaragoza made monkey-like chants at the Barcelona striker during a 2005 match, and he nearly walked off the pitch during a match against the club the next season.
Phillippe Desmazes, AFP / Getty Images
It's been almost 30 years since the Philadelphia Phillies won a world championship, but that streak ended last night. After a two day wait, the Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays got to finish Game 5 last night and the Phillies walked away world champs winning 4-3 after three innings.
"For all these years, the part of playing here that upset me the most was that I was always home in October, watching somebody else celebrate," Jimmy Rollins told ESPN. "But not this year; this year, WE get to celebrate."
Phillies pitcher Brad Lidge ended the season by delivering a perfect pitch that was whiffed through by Rays' Eric Hinske. The benches cleared and a new champion was crowned.
1. Phinally!!!!!
miss_p at 1:30PM on Nov 3rd 2008