PAReading: 3 min.
Oakland, California — Historian Oakland Athletics manager Glenn Kuiper was fired by NBC Sports California for using a racial slur during a televised broadcast while describing a trip to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
Kuiper was suspended by the network earlier this month after his insult was aired in a segment leading up to the Athletics’ May 5 game against the Kansas City Royals. Kuiper discussed a trip to the museum with his colleague, Dallas Braden, but apparently mispronounced the word “Negro,” which was an insult.
“After an internal review, NBC Sports California has decided to terminate its relationship with Glen Kuiper effective immediately,” the network said in a statement Monday. “We thank Glenn for his many years of dedication to Bay Area baseball.”
A person familiar with the investigation said “the decision was based on a variety of factors, including information revealed in an internal review.” The person spoke on condition of anonymity and did not provide specifics because the network does not publicly release the results of the investigation.
Kuyper apologized without explanation after the game, saying he said something that “didn’t go my way.” He later posted a statement online when he was suspended: “I can’t help but feel deeply sorry and horrified by what I said. I hope you will accept my sincere apology.”
Kuiper has been calling athletic games in the Bay Area for 20 years. He is the younger brother of former Major League Baseball player and San Francisco Giants broadcaster Duane Kuiper.