When ex-Braves closer John Rocker refused to take back his offensive remarks aimed at Mets fans
John Rocker former Atlanta Braves pitcher has been a controversial figure in the MLB community. From his racist comments in 1999 to his being in a steroid ring in 2007. All these occurrences have made it so that fans don't have a favorable opinion of him.
In 1999 in an interview with Sports Illustrated, Rocker made some horrible remarks about New Yorkers. He was asked in the interview if he would ever consider joining the New York Yankees or the New York Mets team. In reply to this question, the pitcher insulted the city, the foreigner present in the city. And also the diverse crowd of the city such as the LGBTQ+ community.
He also went on to say that the New York Mets fans were degenerates and that the way they talk is very degrading.
"Nowhere else in the country do people spit at you, throw bottles at you, throw quarters at you, throw batteries at you and say, 'Hey, I did your mother last night--she's a whore.' I talked about what degenerates they were, and they proved me right. Just by saying something, I could make them mad enough to go home and slap their moms."
this man was booed like he was John Rocker https://t.co/80OemXK06q
John Rocker did later apologize for his comments but that was only because Aaron Hank, the Hall of Famer encouraged him to do so.
When John Rocker insulted the New York people
In the same interview, John Rocker made the above-mentioned horrible comments about New Yorkers. He talked about how depressing New York is and how the people there are terrible.
Rocker also made his bigoted prejudice known about females, foreigners, and the LGBTQ+ community.
"I'd retire first. It's the most hectic, nerve-wracking city. Imagine having to take the 7 Train to the ballpark looking like you're riding through Beirut next to some kid with purple hair, next to some queer with AIDS, right next to some dude who just got out of jail for the fourth time, right next to some 20-year-old mom with four kids."
"It's depressing... The biggest thing I don't like about New York are the foreigners. You can walk an entire block in Times Square and not hear anybody speaking English. Asians and Koreans and Vietnamese and Indians and Russians and Spanish people and everything up there. How the hell did they get in this country?"
9/7/98: ATL @ NYM: Edgardo Alfonzo (16th of season, 34th of career) off John Rocker (@fonzy9) https://t.co/Bz7vcT1M1S
The reporter of the interview, Jeff Pearlman also reported that John Rocker had mocked an Asian woman during the interview. The pitcher had also spit toll machine and called his teammate Randall Simon a 'fat monkey'.