Warning: Story/video contains coarse language
Cincinnati Reds broadcaster Thom Brennaman used an anti-gay slur during the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals.
The moment occurred as the Fox Sports Ohio broadcast came back from a commercial break during the seventh inning. As the game prepared to resume, an unprompted Brennaman said, "one of the f-- capitals of the world."
During the fifth inning of the second game of the twin bill, Brennaman apologized for his remarks, stating, "I don't know if I'll be putting on this headset again," before turning over play-by-play duties for the remainder of the contest to Jim Day.
Brennaman followed his on-air apology by offering a separate one to the LGBTQ community.
"I have never in my life, not for one second of my life, have I been homophobic, have I been racist, have I been any of those words that are terrible, terrible words,” he told C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic. "And I would stand next to any LGBT person in the world, and lock arm-in-arm with them that they have all the same rights as every other person born on God's green earth."
The Reds suspended Brennaman from broadcasting their games following the incident.
"The Cincinnati Reds organization is devastated by the horrific, homophobic remark made this evening by Thom Brennaman," the team said in a statement. "He was pulled off the air, and effective immediately was suspended from doing Reds broadcasts. We will be addressing our broadcasting team in the coming days. In no way does this incident represent our players, coaches, organization, or our fans. We share our sincerest apologies to the LGBTQ+ community in Cincinnati, Kansas City, all across this country, and beyond. The Reds embrace a zero-tolerance policy for bias or discrimination of any kind, and we are truly sorry to anyone who has been offended."
Reds reliever Amir Garrett also offered his apology to the LGBTQ community:
Major League Baseball is aware of the incident but did not comment, according to The Associated Press.