Glen Kuiper, who called A’s games for the past 20 seasons, was let go Monday by NBC Sports California. The sports network said in a statement that the decision was made following an internal review.
The 60-year old Kuiper had been on indefinite suspension following comments he made on May 5th, while broadcasting an A’s away game against the Kansas City Royals.
On air, Kuiper mentioned that he had visited the Negro Leagues National Museum in Kansas City and uttered the n-word in saying the museum’s title. He later made an apology later on during the game and has expressed contrition ever since.
Bob Kendrick, the president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, said he was “disappointed” with the decision to fire Kuiper.
A former minor league infielder – whose older brother, Duane, once played for the San Francisco Giants – Kuiper started broadcasting A’s games in 2004. He was promoted to play-by-play announcer two years later.
Kuiper’s dismissal is just the latest episode of an already dismal season for the A’s. The club has the worst record and lowest payroll in major league baseball. It’s also drawing the fewest fans in the big leagues – less than 9,000-a-game – at the antiquated Oakland Coliseum.
And last month, the A’s owners announced that they are planning to relocate the ball club to a new, billion-dollar stadium in Las Vegas – after abruptly breaking off years of negotiations with the city of Oakland on building a proposed waterfront ballpark at Howard Terminal.
