Al Campanis Racist Remarks on Nightline (April 6, 1987)

Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of Jackie Robinson's Major League Baseball debut (April 15, 1947). Campanis, who had played alongside Robinson and was known for being close to him, was being interviewed about the subject. Nightline anchorman Ted Koppel asked him why, at the time, there had been few black managers and no black general managers in Major League Baseball. Campanis' reply was that blacks "may not have some of the necessities to be, let's say, a field manager, or, perhaps, a general manager" for these positions. Elsewhere in the interview he said that blacks are often poor swimmers "because they don't have the buoyancy." Koppel says he gave Campanis several opportunities to clarify ("Do you really believe that?") or back down on his remarks but Campanis confirmed his views with his replies. A protest erupted the next morning and he resigned two days later

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[ZapatistaDiF]

How the hell is "black men aren't good enough to manage baseball" not racist?

[ceeeluvv]

Ted Koppel: "(why are) there are no black managers, no black general managers, no black owners?"

Al Campanis: "I truly believe that they may not have some of the necessities to be, let's say, a field manager, or perhaps a general manager."

If you don't find it profoundly racist that one could assert that not a single person in an entire race of people would have the ability to perform as a baseball manager, you my friend are severely confused.

[Reed Rothchild]

Racist?  Definitely! And patently false, as well. But I think Campanis was just speaking a perspective that was common (albeit incorrect) when he was growing up. I don't know if there was any evil intent behind it. Peace.

[trentholt]

Ron Washington = one of the best managers in baseball. Go Rangers.

[ManOfBamboo]

The US Olympic male swimming team contains a black male, though. In addition to that, as part of the American team, that same guy holds the world record in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay (long course). Your opinion and view on this video does not surprise though, you are a guy that has commented "fucking dumbass NIGGERS! HEIL HITLER!!!" on one video, so what else should I expect?

[Don Fith]

lol yea black ppl learning how to swim in the ocean, lake or river is practical?.. most blacks cant afford a pool now let alone back then..

[Brett Hendrickson]

Exactly what i said

[Brett Hendrickson]

I know this line pissed me off so much. They talk about blacks having superior ability over us in basketball, why cant we say we have it at swimming. It has nothing to do with access white people have superior physiological advantages in swimming over blacks. You can swim anywhere in the lake, at the beach in the ocean, and there are very cheap swimming pools to be members of.

[dustedvinyl]

Wow, you must be a conversational joy to have coffee with... with cream of course, as I doubt you would drink it black. The connotation would most likely be too much for your tiny bigoted brain to handle.

[CJ Baldwin]

Yes, asking him what he thought and getting honest responses is leftish stuff. So I guess conservatives really are racist and just try to hide it as best they can. Gotcha. Moron.

[chrisbotron]

haha wow. people are retarded