Jesse Jackson, Looking Beyond Schott, Reprimands Baseball

LOUISVILLE, Ky. —  Rev. Jesse Jackson Monday asked that major league baseball get its “house in order” and end racism in the sport or face boycotts at the turnstiles and a challenge to its precious antitrust exemption.

Jackson, appearing on a podium that included former Red player Dave Parker, called a news conference at the hotel where baseball’s winter meetings are being held to demand that owners look beyond Cincinnati Red owner Marge Schott’s alleged racist slurs and focus on the issue in its entirety.

Schott has not attended the meetings and is not expected to.

“While Marge Schott must face a stiff reprimand that corresponds with her behavior, baseball ownership is a trust and therefore there must be a timetable to rule out racism,” said Jackson, who is calling for an increase in minority hiring and an end to teams using American Indians as mascots.

After the conference, Jackson met with the owners’ four-person committee formed to investigate derogatory remarks Schott has allegedly made about blacks, Jews and Asians. He called the meeting “congenial but inconclusive” and said he will meet with all owners in the future.

The owner’s executive council will be updated by the committee today but is not expected to take any disciplinary action during the meetings.