So, the major league coach who celebrity attorney Gloria Allred was going to accuse of making homophobic slurs at a fan? It’s Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell. From TMZ:
This allegedly happened on Sunday. Allred contends that McDowell also made lewd gestures with a bat, and threatened one of the men -- Justin Quinn -- asking “how much do you think your teeth are worth?” As reported this morning, Quinn had his daughters with him at the time and, after the homophobic comments, McDowell said “kids don’t belong at the f***ing ballpark.” After this happened, Quinn complained to AT&T Park staff whom he said were “very attentive, and took it seriously.” He also filed a police report.
Quinn, his wife, and his daughters -- twin nine-year-olds dressed in pink -- were at today’s news conference, and Quinn and Allred reenacted the thing with the bat.
Allred said in the news conference that she wants baseball to fine McDowell and the Braves and is demanding that McDowell apologize to the fans who witnessed his alleged homophobic remarks. If what she says happened is true, I can’t think that Major League Baseball or the Braves would think that sufficient. This is the kind of thing that could and maybe should get McDowell fired.
Remember, oh, 25 minutes ago when I said there was nothing cool about the Braves? Yeah, that still holds, at least with respect to the pitching coach, at least if what Mr. Quinn is saying is true.
UPDATE: Major League Baseball has issued the following statement regarding the allegations:
In case it was not already clear: the allegations against McDowell are just that -- allegations. It is wise for everyone to wait and hear his side of the story before coming to any conclusions about what, if anything, occurred that would require any sort of action, be it legal or disciplinary or whatever. That’s certainly what baseball seems to be doing.
UPDATE II: McDowell has apologized and the Braves have made a statement as well.
