White Sox's Tim Anderson accuses Yankees' Josh Donaldson of racist 'Jackie' remark
White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson has accused Yankees player Josh Donaldson of making a racist comment on Saturday, May 21, nearly causing a brawl. Anderson alleged that Donaldson used the phrase "What’s up, Jackie?” multiple times while addressing him during the game.
Donaldson, however, has claimed that Anderson took his words the wrong way. He said that he called Anderson 'Jackie' because he had referred to himseld as “today’s Jackie Robinson" back in 2019. Donaldson said that he had jokingly addressed Anderson with the term in the past as well.
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Anderson, who is Black, said, "He just made a disrespectful comment. He was trying to call me Jackie Robinson, ‘What’s up Jackie?’ I don’t play like that. … That happened the first time he got on, and I let it go that time, and it happened again. It’s just uncalled for.” He added, "I’ll never sleep this off.”
Tim Anderson says Josh Donaldson referred to him as "Jackie [Robinson]" pic.twitter.com/sk8R7HEJ7w
— White Sox Talk (@NBCSWhiteSox) May 21, 2022
“I called him Jackie. He came out with an interview that says he’s the new Jackie Robinson … We’ve actually joked about that,” Donaldson said. “I’ve said it to him in years past, not in any manner [other] than just joking around.”
“I called him Jackie. He came out with an interview that says he’s the new Jackie Robinson… We’ve actually joked about that. I’ve said it to him in years past, not in any manor than just joking around.”-Josh Donaldson on his altercation with Tim Anderson pic.twitter.com/BJE1NqfP19
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) May 21, 2022
On Saturday, May 21, the two players had a war of words in the third inning and in the fifth too. Anderson ran to home plate after he saw Donaldsons peaking with White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal for a long time. Anderson had to be held back by several teammates, and both benches were warned. “What sparked it is the comment he made,” Grandal said. “This game went through a period of time where a lot of those comments were made and I think we’re way past that. It’s just unacceptable. I just thought it was a low blow, and I want to make sure I got my team’s back. There’s no way you’re allowed to say something like that.”
Just a week back, Donaldson and Anderson engaged in another altercation after Donaldson appeared to push Anderson off the bag. This resulted in Anderson subsequently shoving Donaldson off him, following which the two began having a heated conversation. Coaches, however, intervened before the situation escalated. Anderson had described it as the "same smoke."
On Saturday, the two players crossed paths again after Donaldson was erased at second on a double-play ball. Anderson was seen turning and seemingly saying something to Donaldson, who then appeared to run back to the dugout while laughing to himself. Anderson has said he is unsure how things would unfold in the future. "I can’t really call it, because I don’t know my energy when I see him, I don’t know his energy,” Anderson said. “But we’ll see.”