Torii Hunter signed with the Detroit Tigers in the offseason for $26 million dollars over two seasons. The former Twins and Angels outfielder joins a Tigers team that made it to the World Series last season.
Expected to be a clubhouse leader for Detroit, Hunter has started off on the wrong foot. He was quoted saying that having a gay teammate would be “difficult and uncomfortable.”
“For me, as a Christian … I will be uncomfortable because in all my teachings and all my learning, biblically, it’s not right,” Hunter told the Times. “It will be difficult and uncomfortable.”
Hunter also said that a gay teammate might divide a clubhouse. It’s sad that in this day and age Hunter would say something like this even if he says he was misquoted in Baxter’s colum.
Hunter’s entire tweet reads:
I’m very disappointed in Kevin Baxter’s article in which my quotes and feelings have been misrepresented. He took two completely separate quotes and made them into one quote that does not express how I feel as a Christian or a human being . I have love and respect for all human beings regardless of race, color or sexual orientation. I am not perfect and try hard to live the best life I can and treat all people with respect. If you know me you know that I am not anti anything and to be portrayed as anti-gay in this article is hurtful and just not true.
HT: Eye on Baseball
LA Times article “In pro sports, gay athletes still feel unwelcome”