I ‘Keep Hearing the N-Word’: Marlins’ Lewis Brinson Doesn’t Buy Rockies Claim That Fan Said ‘Dinger,’ Not Racist Slur
Following a brief investigation, the Colorado Rockies confirmed a fan at Coors Field was yelling “Dinger” and not the racial slur originally believed to be directed at Marlins’ outfielder Lewis Brinson. But Brinson, who is Black and was in the batter’s box for the incident, remains skeptical.
“I watched it a lot, especially when I heard that he said Dinger instead of the N-word,” Brinson told reporters Monday night.
“I personally, this is again my personal opinion – I personally keep hearing the N-word,” Brinson continued. “It’s not that I want to hear it, I never want to hear it. Personally I’ve never been called that in person to my face on the baseball field, outside the baseball field, ever, so I don’t know what my reaction or anything would be if I got called that.”
After opening an investigation to find out who yelled what was believed to be a racial slur at Brinson, the Rockies confirmed the fan was actually trying to get the attention of the team’s purple dinosaur mascot, who was walking in the area of the crowd behind home plate. The Rockies came to the conclusion after they reviewed video, audio, and interviewed multiple people including the fan who yelled “Dinger.” According to the Rockies, season-ticket holders sitting nearby the incident contacted the organization to defend the fan and explain the mix-up.
No players, including Brinson, reacted to the incident at the time of the shouts. Both broadcasts picked up the audio, with Marlins play-by-play voice Paul Severino immediately apologizing to the audience for what he believed to be racial slurs getting picked up by the Bally Sports Florida microphones.
Although Brinson does not hear “Dinger” when he watches the video, he remains open to the fact that the fan may have been yelling for the Rockies mascot.
“I’m a human, I have sympathy,” Brinson said. “If he was yelling for the mascot, I am sorry for any backlash or any unnecessary that he’s getting right now.”
Watch above via TSN
