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Former Chicago Cubs pitching coach Chris Bosio was abruptly fired by the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday and soon after a report from Detroit’s ABC TV station came out that said the coach was let go for racially charged comments made at a team employee.
The Tigers have not made any other comments about the firing other than this statement.
The Detroit Tigers today issued the following statement on Chris Bosio. pic.twitter.com/qWo1UxBPd3
— Tigers PR (@DetroitTigersPR) June 27, 2018
Here’s the report from the local Detroit news.
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Since then, Bosio has told his side of the story and if there really isn’t anything more to what he says, then the Tigers are left looking bad.
In an interview with Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Bosio said a comment he made toward pitcher Daniel Stumpf, calling him monkey, was taken out of context.
Via USA Today.
Bosio revealed to USA TODAY Sports that he was fired for using the word “monkey” in a conversation that was overheard by – but not involving – an African-American clubhouse attendant.
Bosio insists he was not using the word in a racial and disparaging context, and that it was not directed toward the clubhouse attendant. He says he referring to injured pitcher Daniel Stumpf, a white pitcher from Humble, Texas.
Here’s what Bosio claims happened that led to his firing.
“Someone in our coaches’ room asked me (Monday afternoon) about Stumpf,’’ Bosio said. “And I said, “Oh, you mean, ‘Spider Monkey.’ That’s his nickname. He’s a skinny little white kid who makes all of these funny faces when he works out.
“The kid thought we were talking about him. He got all upset. He assumed we were talking about him. I said, “No, no, no. We’re talking about Stumpf.’
“And that was it. I swear on my mom and dad’s graves, there was nothing else to it.’’
Bosio played a decade with the Milwaukee Brewers and Seattle Mariners before becoming a coach in 2003. He spent six years with the Cubs before the team decided to hire Jim Hickey after the 2017 season to replace Bosio.
Here’s the thing, it feels like something is missing from this story, but at the same time I really do hope that Bosio’s story is 100% true. I mean, I’d rather the Tigers look bad over a firing than have a coach saying racist things.
According to the USA Today article, Bosio plans to hire a lawyer and will then determine if a wrongful termination lawsuit will be filed.
